| Now that there are eight candidates in the race to replace Ralph Klein as Tory leader one wonders how long it will be before the knives come out. So far the contest has been quite cordial. But at some point the eager eight are going to have to distinguish themselves from each other. And since they were all, at one time or another, part of the Klein government, they are also going to have to figure out how to publicly disassociate themselves from some of Ralph’s more disastrous legacies; health care privatization, utility deregulation, the oil sands non-royalties and the democratic deficit come immediately to mind.
And then there is Ralph himself, the great leader who seemed to be able to say and do whatever he wanted with nary a word of criticism from his docile cabinet or MLAs. Did any of them stand up for the people he insulted at the homeless shelter in Edmonton a few years ago? Or for the AISH recipients Klein insulted during the last election campaign? Or for the young Legislature page who was the target of Klein’s wrath earlier this year? No. Loyalty to Klein or fear of being booted from the inner circle superseded any ethical concerns. Courage was in short supply.
There is a lot of talk among these candidates about a new vision of Alberta. The alleged front runner — Jim Dinning — calls it "the Alberta we are ready for." Vagueness is a virtue when you are trying to attract as many people as possible into your tent. Former minister of advanced education, Dave Hancock, has adopted the slogan "Alberta unleashed." Does that mean he sees the province as some sort of dog? Would that be a pit bull or a cocker spaniel? Or did he just feel like a lap dog himself while he was in cabinet?
What about the old vision, the one that Ralph Klein imposed on us? Alberta as a rich province, full of mean-spirited people who don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves. Alberta as a province full of bullies who kick people when they are down. Alberta as a province where big business calls the shots, wrecks the environment and sells off our resources as quickly as possible.
All of the candidates for the Tory leadership, and our next premier (if only for a few months), participated in the creation of that vision either actively or through negligence. Although he had some doubts at first, Jim Dinning drew up those early budgets that saw health care, education and social services cut by as much as 30 per cent when he knew the province’s population was growing. Dinning was also one of the architects of the hastily prepared utility deregulation.
Before he was named Minister of Advanced Education, Dave Hancock was Minister of Justice and Attorney General, and prior to that he was Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. He’s been sitting beside Ralph Klein for a long time and yet we are now supposed to believe that it’s a new day, a time for Alberta to be "unleashed." Where was he in the old days? And where was Lyle Oberg? He was also sitting within earshot of Ralph Klein, helping him along with the vision thing. As was Mark Norris, who for a brief time, was Minister of Economic Development. Ditto for the most recent entrant, Victor Doerksen, Minister of Innovation and Science until just last week.
At least MLA Ted Morton, one of the ultra-right candidates, makes it clear he intends to follow along in Ralph’s footsteps. He wants even more privatization of health care and education, lower corporate taxes and a ban on same-sex marriage. Sounds like Alberta will be a great place to live if Ted gets his way. MLA Ed Stelmach seems to have garnered a loyal following in the north of the province for his down-to-earth style. Calgary MLA Alana DeLong is the mystery candidate and like most Calgary Tory MLAs rarely seen or heard.
To this point all the candidates have been well-mannered and polite. But now that Ralph has announced his departure date it likely won’t be long before the knives come out. The candidates will start slicing away at each other, revealing secrets about each other. And, no doubt, some of them will see a need to knock Ralph off his pedestal. This would be politically expedient since it’s clear that Ralph has been more of a burden to the party in the last few years than a boon.
Who would have anticipated even a few months ago, for example, that there would have been such a public uproar when some MLAs suggested naming the new Alberta Children’s Hospital after Ralph and Colleen Klein? But letters from the outraged poured into The Herald.
The Klein legacy is seen by many people as a dubious one. And yet if they are going to outrun it, the candidates will have to come clean about Ralph’s record. After all, anyone who buys a party membership can vote. This means disaffected Tories, part-time Tories and non-Tories. The tide of public opinion has already turned against Ralph. It’s only a matter of time before the leadership candidates begin to pile in on him, too. Should be quite a sight.
Gillian Steward is publisher of Alberta Views Magazine. |
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