Calgary-Greenway by-election could end in PC Wildrose merger
Posted Feb 19, 2016 7:58 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A by-election is looming to fill the Calgary-Greenway seat left vacant by the tragic death of popular PC MLA Manmeet Bhullar.
It’s an important vote for the Tories, who are trying to show they can still be a viable party, and the Wildrose, who want to show their appeal, is creeping into cities and can be a strong government-in-waiting.
It also has implications for a possible merger.
Mount Royal University Political Scientist Duane Bratt tells City News it’s a two horse race between the PCs and Wildrose, and a merger is less likely if the Tories hold onto the seat.
“If on the other hand the Wildrose party wins this and the PCs do poorly, that may further some kind of co-operation and merger talk,” he said.
But PC Leader Ric McIver isn’t willing to speculate on the two parties joining, saying that based on discussions he’s had with Albertans, he believes the PCs still fill a centre-right spot on the political spectrum people want.
“That’s a place our party is and has been for decades,” he said. “I think we’re already occupying the right political real estate, we just have to earn back the trust of Albertans.”
The Tories are expected to decide which one of the four candidates which have been nominated will run during a meeting February 27, while the Wildrose is expected to pick a candidate on March 5.
The Liberals will nominate a candidate February 2 and the NDP hopes to have its candidate list this weekend.
No date has been set for the by-election.
