Premier Stelmach Resigning Prior to Next Election - PC Party on the Ropes?

According to reports this afternoon, Premier Ed Stelmach announced today that he will not be leading the PC Party of Alberta into the next election now not anticipated to be called until perhaps March of 2013.

According to reports, the Premier stated:

“Upon much reflection ... I have determined after 25 years of public service, I will not serve another full term,” Stelmach, with his wife Marie at his side, told reporters at a hastily called news conference at the legislature."

While I have recently resigned from my involvement and have ceased my support for the PC Party of Alberta, I can honestly say that I am still saddened by this announcement.  While I certainly did not know the Premier well, on those few occasions that I had the good fortune to share a meal or have a conversation with him, he always struck me as intelligent and sincere in his intentions to make Alberta a better place.

However, in reviewing the Premier's Announcement, as much as I admire him, I believe he was mistaken in two respects when he wrote:

"There is a profound danger that the next election campaign will focus on personality and US style negative, attack politics that is directed at me personally. The danger is that it could allow for an extreme right party to disguise itself as a moderate party by focussing on personality – on me personally."

I don't believe this to be the case.

For one thing, at the present time I have chosen to support the Wild Rose Alliance and am considering seeking the nomination as a candidate for that party in the next election.  A review of my blog, I think, colors me as anything but an "extreme right wing" individual, and in fact, I have been described at various times as a "red tory", "closet Liberal", and the like.. mostly because more than anything I despise blind adherence to political ideology.  A stupid conservative idea is no better than a stupid liberal idea.

My impression from being in contact with other Wild Rose Alliance members is similar - and I believe the election of Danielle Smith sent a clear message that this is not a party of extreme social conservatives.  There were other candidates that may have fit that bill - but Danielle Smith was not one of them.

With respect to the suggestion of the coming election being premised on personal "attacks", again, I would suggest this suggestion is misplaced.  This past evening I was in conversation with a Wild Rose MLA, and prior to hearing of our Premier's announcement, both this individual and myself discussed the fundamental decency of Mr. Stelmach and his sincerity.. the problem with the PC Party not being one of an incompetent or disingenuous leader, but being one of a old and tired machinery than seems more responsive to outside interests and its own bureaucracy than to average Albertans.

With respect - the concerns evident with the PC Party of Alberta are not personal concerns.  They are concerns born of a party which has lost its way - a party without identity and a party without direction.

Clearly there has been major internal strife within the party with a battle between the few remaining fiscal conservatives and the liberals in conservative clothing who are not prepared to let go of their appetite for burgeoning government and tax dollars - and the announcement of our Premier is no doubt a symptom of that disarray.

The message?

The most powerful political force in Canadian history perhaps is on the ropes...  eyes swelled shut, nose bleeding, the young challenger sees a clear opening.  There is fear and uncertainty in the eyes of the aged warrior.. and the young fighter begins to circle, waiting it's moment to deliver the decisive blow to end the fight and crown the new title holder.