Centre Together - An Alberta Party Event

For the past week and a half, I have been waiting impatiently for tonight.  I met a friend in Calgary and we drove down to Hudson's on 12th and 5th for a "Centre Together" event hosted by the Alberta Party.  I've been to Alberta Party events before but this one was different: this event was inviting progressives from the PC Party who felt like they had no home.

A couple of weeks ago at the PC leadership convention I met many progressives from the PC Party.  I also met conservatives.  I didn't expect to run into any of the conservatives at an Alberta Party event (although I did hear that a Kenney delegate from the leadership convention was spotted at the event in Edmonton the night before) but I was excited to see if any of the progressives I met would show.  I already had one of them as my plus one, but would anyone else make an entrance?

I know some people from the Alberta Party but it's hard to know everyone.  My friend is a new Alberta Party member and he knows a lot of people who worked very hard for the PC Party.  With him by my side, I was able to distinguish between members I'd never met before and PC members who were looking to see what Greg Clark and the Alberta Party had to offer.

We mingled with Liberals, former PC supporters and Alberta Party members new and old while waiting for Greg to speak.  The hot topic for everyone was uniting the centre.  Having been so recently immersed in "Unite the Right" conversations, I was pleased to hear something else. Then again, this event was not about uniting parties; it was about uniting like-minded individuals which is what the Alberta Party has always positioned itself as.  My question of the night was whether or not the possibility of a split in the federal conservative party, which Jason Kenney touts as evidence for the success of a united provincial party, would cause greater obstacles than Kenney himself has.

Stephanie Wiebe/CBC

When Greg took the microphone, he did not disappoint. "This is a centrist party.  It is a big tent but it has very strong walls. If you want to roll back LGBTQ rights or women's reproductive rights, you are welcome to have that opinion; and you are welcome to have it somewhere else" he finished to cheers.  He spoke about the opportunity Alberta has, with its well-educated and skilled workforce to be a leader in innovation as we look towards a new era.  He knows the lay of Calgary and what the people here have to offer. He talked about how Albertans already have the necessary education, skills and entrepreneurial drive to be gloabl leaders in the growing alternative energy sector.

One woman, who said she was a liberal supporter and had voted for them in 2015, asked what the biggest difference was between the Liberal party and the Alberta Party.  Unsurprisingly, Greg replied "momentum".  There are a number of similarities between the Alberta Party and the Alberta Liberal party and the PC Party, with fewer, but existing similarities with the Wildrose, NDP and Greens.  Personally, when Greg says "big tent", that's exactly what it means to me.  Greg has always said that good ideas can come from anywhere and shouldn't be ignored based on who has them.  It's reassuring to know there are limits to that "big tent" all the same.

Former PC members said they felt welcomed by the leader and party members.  After what they just went through, I imagine this was much different.  One said it was "refreshing" and another said they felt "excited to be part of building something".  Others were discussing how many people they already knew who planned to run as candidates for the Alberta Party in 2019.

Last year, the Alberta Party events felt like the "the little party that could".  There was still a feeling of satisfaction because the leader had been elected and he was doing a great job in the legislature.  He was making headlines, working overtime to be part of the many committees, submitting shadow budgets... there was a lot of pride emanating from the membership.  Last night, there was still a sense of pride in the air but there was more; drive... optimism... and something else.

Someone once told me the problem with progressives was they didn't get angry.  He said they rationalize information and that tendency keeps them from fueling motivation.  This wasn't what I felt last night.  Something unjust had happened, could happen, and here was a group of people who had lost their party but were welcomed, and interested, in the Alberta Party.

While other leaders are trying to build a big tent with no boundaries, it was refreshing to hear someone who was willing to be clear and uncompromising about his beliefs. We all need something worth fighting for.  Thankfully, you don't have to be angry to do that; just strong.

D