Alberta byelections to say give them Liberals, Alliance or Independence

John Rew of Craigmyle will be on the ballot in Drumheller-Stettler as the Independent candidate in Alberta for these upcoming byelections, joining him on that ballot is Dave France of the Alberta Alliance, with Jane Greydanus running under the party banner in Calgary-Elbow. The Western or Albertan Independence Party movement seems to have captured former Reform MP and current Alberta Senator-in-waiting Cliff Breitkreuz, who had worked once within the Western Alienation/Albertan Separatist movement under 29 year old former Reform activist Cory Morgan, now Policy Director for the Alliance, along with attention from MPs and Senators-in-waiting Myron Thompson, Darrel Stinson, Bert Brown and Ted Morton in the early 2000s.

Exactly 25 years ago, Gordon Kesler was elected to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election in Olds-Didsbury for the separatist Western Canada Concept, though Alberta lacks a credible separatist voice at present, many hope the Alberta Alliance can hold the standard by sticking to the basics of their Alberta Agenda, which gives Albertans a minimal protection against Ottawa's attack on the cash.

If these real reformers with the Alliance and soft separatists with the Independence cause enough wave, these byelections may actually become the perfect storm provincially there, enough to elect a seat or two in the opposition for change to its status quo Albertocracy if the people can play their political cards right.

It really is a test of mettle for Ed Stelmach, as one watches to see if he will be like Charles Stewart, Richard Reid and Harry Strom before him, or set up for a future Herbert Greenfield, William Aberhart or Peter Lougheed. The Liberals, Greens, Social Credit and New Democrats also look to fight for a sensible shot at the title, but remain in the fringe of Albertan grassroots thought, despite all making gains in the last few years especially the federal Greens, plus the open door possibility of a Party of Alberta being reserved last year by a 26 year old Rhys Courtman.

Now having the Mayor of Calgary and outgoing Youth President of your own party after you to deal straight with the power or get lost, one has to wonder how all of this is weighing upon Unsteady Eddie's mind, or even in a greater sense, his very own political conscience.