Alberta Wildrose Party: How It Has Changed Following Its Latest AGM
Alberta's Farthest Right Wing Party Gets All Progressive And Stuff
The Huffington Post Alberta
Any betting man would've given the Alberta Wildrose Party a resounding win during the lead up to last year's provincial elections.
Albertans, after more than 40 years of continuous Tory government and craving renewal, found an alternative in the WRA.
Advertisement
But in the end, the Wildrose, heavily nailed down in the right wing of the political spectrum - economically and socially, was its own worst enemy. Leading up to the ballot, the Wildrose promised all those things they said the PCs just couldn't deliver - accountability, balanced budgets, openness and a better brand of democracy.
But to get all that, voters also had to buy into some less-than popular social beliefs.
In the end, it was the party's social conservatism that turned many voters away from the Wildrose.
Danielle Smith personally conceded later that it was some of those values, verbalized by candidates who didn't win seats and that ruffled more than a few Alberta feathers, that cost the Wildrose a certain win.
It's a political reality the Wildrose aimed to address when it met in Red Deer over the weekend.
Kicking and screaming into 21st century.In appearance at least.“@metrocalgary: Wildrose party affirms gay rights, climate change” #ableg
Gay rights wasn't just not part of the public conversation within the Wildrose, but as Allan Hunsperger, one of the candidates running for Member of the Legislative Assembly once wrote, gays will burn for eternity in hell's "lake of fire," if they didn't repent.
Advertisement
In today's Wildrose Party, human rights are universal, even for gays.
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.
If you have questions or concerns,
please check our FAQ or
contact support@huffpost.com.