Wildrose leadership candidates focus on Alberta's finances

With the Wildrose still smarting over the loss of nine MLAs months ago, all three of the party’s leadership hopefuls are hammering the government on its management of Alberta's finances.

The party is in the midst of an accelerated leadership race in anticipation of a spring election. Originally, it was scheduled to pick a new leader in June — the vote has now been moved up to the end of March.

The trio of candidates laid out their individual visions for the province Saturday morning at the Wildrose’s Edmonton Members’ Assembly. All of them accused the Progressive Conservative party of mismanaging the Alberta’s wealth and focused on spending cuts as a method to deal with the budget crisis facing the province.

“We can start by showing real leadership,” said MLA Cypress-Medicine Hat Drew Barnes.

The sole leadership candidate so far elected to the Alberta Legislature, Barnes said he would find a way to address the financial problems without raising taxes. Instead, he argued, the government could find more money by being more efficient. He took aim at “corporate welfare,” which he estimated could cost the province hundreds of millions a year.

“It’s time for the Government of Alberta cut out the waste,” he said.

Former Fort McMurray MP Brian Jean echoed Barnes statements and said Albertans are looking for a party that would “be better managers, be fiscally prudent and to not raise taxes.”

He pointed to Alberta’s healthcare system as a place to start, calling it “bureaucratic mess” that frustrated front-line workers and failed to help Albertans.

“We pay more per-capita than anyone else in Canada, in taxes, and we get bottom-of-the-rung services,” he said.

While the both Jean and Barnes feel the problem can be fixed without higher taxes, Linda Osinchuk said the party should not rule out any options, including another look at Alberta’s royalty rates and corporate tax rates.

“We have to put everything on the table. I think everyone has a responsibility to contribute during these fluctuating times,” she said.

Osinchuk, the former mayor of Strathcona County who is now the Wildrose candidate for Sherwood Park, joined the others in preaching financial restraint. But she also said the province has to continue spending on critical infrastructure, and may have to consider more debt to do so.

She also said the government must look at doing more to refine Alberta’s oil within the province.

As the leadership voter approaches, the party is still dealing with the fallout from December, when nine Wildrose MLA`s crossed the floor to the Tory party -- including then-leader Danielle Smith.

Party dealing with Smith's 'betrayal'

While many at the assembly spoke about moving past what happened, the sting of the defections was still evident among those in attendance.

“People honestly feel betrayed. They’re hurt, they don’t like what happened to them,” said interim leader Heather Forsyth, who took over the party after Smith's departure.

”It’s all about trust. They trusted her, and she broke that trust.”

Forsyth, who doesn't plan to run for the leadership, accused the Prentice government of overplaying the threat to the province's finances. She said the premier is trying to scare people into accepting what she predicts will be an unpopular budget.

“That’s not leadership" she said."Leadership is about providing strength, it’s about reassuring Albertans.”

The Wildrose Party’s leadership vote will be done by phone ballot beginning March 16 and running until the end of the month.