The Winds of Change

Well isn't Alberta Politics getting exciting. I thought maybe I would take a few minutes to weigh in with my arrogance using more than 140 characters.

The Alberta Liberal Party just finished their leadership race electing Dr. Raj Sherman, a former PC member, to save their flailing party. Running on the campaign that their Dr's will fix Alberta health care. Well Raj (and all of my loyal liberal readers) lets see what the facts are here. In 2008 the party elected Dr. David Swann to lead the party, vowing he could change the health care woes. At the time of the election the ALP went from 16 down to 9 seats under Taft so the good Dr. Swann did have his work cut out, although maintaining official opposition status. As of FYE 2010 the party had a net asset value of $4434.43 http://efpublic.elections.ab.ca/efFinancialStatement.cfm?ACID=7344

In short the Liberal party's only changes are which Dr. is running the party, lost Dave Taylor and gained Raj Sherman, and I would imagine by the FYE 2011 a much bigger debt load after a leadership race. Is there any fallout from a caucus changing the constitution to allow floor crossing to accommodate this ex-conservative member? Although I can see their logic that a couple of Dr's could fix health care, reality will set in. It's kinda like saying that the gas attendant at a Suncor station could run Suncor Energy, I don't think so. This remains one topic party that will lose more support if they don't get up to speed on the rest of the issues.

We also have a PC leadership race. What is interesting here is how they are all going to change the way the Alberta government is run. For weeks I have watched them all distance themselves from the PC government that just celebrated it's 40 year dynasty.Yes a change right now would be welcome. The problem is that these new potential leaders have been the PC govt. Like it or not they were the problems that they are going to fix, if it was that easy why wasn't it done when you were backing Ed?

The dark horse here will be the NDP party. Will the Jack Layton love in trickle into our provincial politics? Will the announcement of Ray Martin running again gain support from the left?

The emergence of another "Progressive" party, the Alberta Party has also came into play. I don't see them gaining enough support by the next election to be a factor. It will be interesting though to see what a third party on the left will do for the vote splitting. Yes I know AB Party members, your not left your center. Well all the party's claim that.

The Wildrose under Danielle Smith is still the competent in my opinion, and the only change I can see.