The delegate selection for the Banff-Cochrane PC riding revealed overwhelming support for the Jason Kenney unity campaign.
On Jan. 31, 14 out of 15 delegates selected were pro-unity; the only delegate who was not in support of the movement was acclaimed; all five alternate delegates selected were pro-unity.
Philip Cape, father of soon-to-be-four and career pressure welder, was selected as first alternate delegate.
“I think people are willing to give (a united conservative party) a chance – just to get of the NDP,” he said.
This sentiment was echoed by Morgan Nagel – who provides digital outreach on the Kenney campaign team.
“I just think the result and turnout at the event is that people are getting weary of the NDP,” said the Cochrane town councillor, adding that the RancheHouse event drew a packed house. “It’s great to see unity conversations happening on both sides.”
Cape said he felt people “had their minds made up” before attending the event that night and the overall mood was one in favour of a single, united conservative party to take the place of the Wildrose and PC parties – in order to “ensure” a conservative victory.
Owen Neal, director of the Banff-Cochrane chapter of Alberta Can’t Wait – the grassroots group lending support to the unity movement – was on deck at the RancheHouse meeting, observing the support for the candidate he strongly feels will be best to lead the province in 2019.
Neal said he is confident that “Jason Kenney is going to win handily the leadership of the PC Party on March 18” but that it would be too bold to assume next steps would undoubtedly result in the dissolution of the two parties and formation of a new one.
The decision for that would be left to the people in a form of a referendum, following that the two parties would reach a memorandum of understanding.
Brian Jean, leader of the Wildrose, recently boarded the unity bus - announcing that he would seek leadership of a united conservative party, should that be the decision of the people following the spring PC leadership race.
Jean has stipulated that he is in support of a united party under the Wildrose’s existing legal framework – something that Neal expressed concern over whether this could delay an agreement between the two parties, as Kenney wants to “start fresh”.
