Wildrose ads target Alison Redford
The Wildrose Party is hoping to steal some of the political spotlight from Alberta’s new premier.
Alison Redford was officially sworn in Friday.
One day before that, her rival right-wing party released two campaign-style ads featuring leader Danielle Smith — setting the stage for an election battle.
The ads shows a dark, blurry picture of Redford standing behind former premier Ed Stelmach as the narrator talks about her role in his cabinet.
The ads raise issues like Redford not setting a fixed election date, reversing her decision on cancelling the fall legislature and her record of voting with cabinet — a common practice in most parties.
It's followed by a bright, sharp-looking Smith in a crisp dress shirt who says politicians should be able to vote freely on all issues and not pull the party line.
She says politicians have to make the tough decisions to represent their constituents.
The Wildrose says the TV ads were produced to highlight the differences between the two women.
Not surprising as political analysts began comparing the two women as soon as Redford won the Progressive Conservative (PC) leadership last week.
Meanwhile, a new group is trying to unite the right.
Ken Boessenkool is launching the Alberta Blue Committee.
He says his group is about informing voters which is the true blue conservative party.
“When we launch we are going to have a number of important principals, right-of-centre policy principals,” said Boessenkool.
“We are going to be asking the leaders of both of the parties what they think about things like deficit reduction.”
Political analyst Duane Bratt said the PC party has always been a really “big tent” of both conservative and progressive elements. He said Redford fits much closer on the progressive wing.
But Bratt feels the party that might be most affected by liberal and conservative party lines blurring is the Alberta Liberal Party, especially because the party’s new leader was a former Tory MLA.
“The Liberals are going to be in a real fight,” said Bratt.
He predicts Alberta’s New Democrat will do well in the next election as a voice for the centre-left, but the Liberals could be in trouble.
“Most voters are in the centre, and Redford is clearly placed there,” said Bratt.
