Brian Jean pitches PC merger to Wildrose members in Calgary
Proposed agreement with Progressive Conservatives needs 75% support from Wildrose membership to go through
Wildrose Leader Brian Jean met with party members in the riding of Calgary Currie on Tuesday night to pitch the plan to unite the party with the Progressive Conservatives.
"The founding principles of this agreement, honour the principles that have served our members so well," he said to the party faithful.
Jean told the crowd the unity plan is about defeating the NDP, but some wondered what would happen if the province's two right-of-centre parties failed to come to an agreement that's acceptable to the membership of both.
"I want your assurance that the Wildrose party will still remain a party and, if this fails, we will be able to go back to that original party," one person in the crowd told Jean.
Wildrose requires 75 per cent support from its membership to approve the plan. The PCs require 50 per cent plus one.
Jean said one of the biggest challenges for him is explaining the complex unity agreement to voters.
Principles and pragmatism
But Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams said Jean also faces another major challenge — convincing party diehards that merging with a political rival is the best way to go.
"It's going to test both the principles and the pragmatism of Wildrose supporters," Williams said.
One thing Jean wasn't keen on talking about in Calgary was any potential leadership rivalry with PC Leader Jason Kenney.
"I don't think really that comes into play here," he said. "This is about myself being the leader of the Wildrose party. I answer to the members of this party."
If the parties merge, both Jean and Kenney have indicated they would run for the top job
Party members vote on the merger on July 22.
With files from Dave Gilson