Trevor Scott Howell

The solidarity between Liberal leader Dr. David Swann (l) and MLA Dave Talyor has ended in a war of words.

After losing the Liberal leadership race to Dr. David Swann, Calgary-Currie MLA Dave Taylor pledged to rebuild the party and dismissed any notion of a rift between him and his new boss.

However, it seems that political promise came with a best-before date that expired this week. Frustrated with a Liberal party he called “adrift, lacking a coherent vision and the strategic focus,” Taylor abruptly announced he was resigning to sit as an independent in the legislature.

“I came to the conclusion that we’re more than halfway through the election cycle, and the party, the caucus and the leader are not moving things forward,” says Taylor. “And the people of Alberta are not being well served by that.”

Taylor, a former radio host, was first elected to the legislature in 2004, narrowly beating then-Tory MLA and former Calgary alderman Jon Lord. In the 2008 leadership race, Taylor ran on a business-friendly platform, but lost the leadership race to Swann by a substantial 900 votes.

Taylor, who has been the party's critic for Energy, Municipal Affairs and Housing and Urban Affairs, says he and others in the party have long been frustrated by the Liberals’ inability to garner broad public support under Swann’s leadership. “My problem is: It has been 16 months and I’m still waiting for him to act on that mandate and start leading,” he says.

Rather than creating effective, moderate policies, the party has fallen into the habit of simply criticizing the government without offering alternatives attractive to voters, says Taylor, who was credited with crafting the Liberals’ recent oil and gas policy. “You cannot convince the people of Alberta that you are ready to govern if you give no evidence of it.”

Although the Conservative dynasty has recently tumbled in the polls, the Liberals have failed to gain much ground. Meanwhile, the reinvigorated Wildrose Alliance Party under the leadership of Danielle Smith, has surged past both the Tories and Grits in several recent surveys.

Swann is now defending his leadership record, pointing out that the party’s policies and focus have crystallized under his tenure. “Taylor’s comments that I’m out of touch are poorly taken and reflect old politics,” says Swann. “I’m trying to bring a new political reality — a substantive commitment to longer-term public good as opposed to short-term fixes that are superficial and do not represent the public interest.”

Although the party has been stalled in the polls, it has made significant financial gains under Swann. Annual party financial statements released last month show the Liberals raised more money than the Wildrose Alliance as well as the NDP. It also paid off $300,000 of its debt in 2009 and now owes less than $90,000, which Swann expects will be paid by June.

The Liberal leader contends there was no forewarning that Taylor wanted to abandon the party. He adds he was surprised and disappointed that Taylor made the announcement through the media rather than informing him personally. “People expect more courage from their elected members to confront issues directly and be open and honest about what their concerns are,” says Swann.

Since losing the leadership race in late 2008, Taylor has been unwilling to actively participate with caucus, nor would he help develop policies or discuss ways to improve the party, says Swann, adding with Taylor gone, there will be less conflict and tension around the caucus table. “In some ways, we will work more efficiently as a result,” he says.

However, the party may continue to unravel; other Liberal MLAs are rumoured to soon jump ship. Bridget Pastoor, MLA for Lethbridge-East, has openly considered running for mayor in Lethbridge this fall, while Calgary-Buffalo MLA Kent Hehr refuses to dispel talk that he has mayoral aspirations in Calgary. “It’s far too early to say that I would be in the mayor’s race,” says Hehr. “I’m up here doing the job right now, but I guess you never say never.”

Donn Lovett, a longtime Liberal and Taylor’s former campaign manager, says he applauds Taylor’s decision to leave a party he says is moribund, ineffectual and irrelevant to most Albertans. “I think he’ll be more effective as an independent,” says Lovett, who ripped up his party card last fall. “He certainly can’t be any less effective with that party given where they are.”

Others in the party are frustrated with Swann’s lack of political acumen, says Lovett. “He’s a nice enough guy, but he’s so politically naive that he just doesn’t get it,” says Lovett. “It’s almost like he’s sitting around with a handful of coffin nails and there’s not even a coffin left to nail shut.”

Taylor appears to have the backing of his constituency. In a written statement, Gerald Forseth, the president of the Calgary-Currie constituency association, says Taylor’s dissatisfaction about the party was well known and his resignation isn’t surprising.

Association executives relayed similar concerns directly to party president Tony Sansotta as recently as last month, says Forseth. While “diehard” Liberals will be upset, “most of the board appreciates that Dave is a superb MLA and will stick by his decision to sit as an independent,” he says.

Whether other political parties will court Taylor remains to be seen. He has ruled out crossing the floor to another party before an election is called. “If I were to make a decision… then I would wait until the next election or resign and go through a byelection,” he says. “I might sink back into obscurity because, frankly, that’s where I was going and where the rest of the caucus is going with the Liberals.”

However, at least one party is actively courting the former Liberal. A spokesperson for the fledgling, centrist Alberta Party says he would be “delighted” if Taylor joined the party. “He looks like he’s looking for some other alternative that is fiscally responsible and socially progressive, which sounds like what we’re trying to do,” says Chima Nkemdirim. “I think it might be a good fit for him. I’m quite anxious to talk to him.”