To millions of Canadians (and maybe a million Albertans), Ed Stelmach is not a familiar name. When the 13 year political veteran was selected as the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta last weekend, this quiet little known political entity was thown into the political spotlight.
For those of you not totally familiar with Premier-designate Ed Stelmach's background, here's a bit of it...
A farmer from south of the Village of Andrew, Stelmach served as Reeve of Lamont County until being elected MLA for the newly created Vegreville-Viking riding in 1993. The election saw Stelmach defeat two-term NDP MLA Derek Fox (MLA for Vegreville 1986-1993). Stelmach was re-elected in Vegreville-Viking in 1997 and 2001. In 2004, Stelmach ran in and was elected MLA for the newly created Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville riding.
After entering Ralph Klein's Cabinet, Stelmach served as Minister of Agriculture from 1997 to 1999, Minister of Infrastructure from 1999 to 2004, and Minister of Intergovernment and International Affairs from 2004 to 2006. Years of Cabinet experience aside, I seriously cannot name anything that Stelmach did while he was a Cabinet Minister. Can someone help me on this one?
One of the challenges that Stelmach faces as Premier is articulating a vision for which direction he would like to lead Alberta. Stelmach's campaign, which was largely vague on policy, was as far as I can tell based on "Honest Ed" or "Steady Eddie" being a moderate conservative comprimise candidate between social conservative Ted Morton and Corporate Calgary Dauphin Jim Dinning. This said, I have nearly no idea where Stelmach stands on most issues.
It should be interesting to see just how different Stelmach is from Klein as Premier and if Stelmach is able to heal the body-wounds his party delivered to itself during this race in preparation for the next General Election.
Speaking of the next General Election, since 1993 the Alberta PC's have centered their image around a single man - Ralph Klein. Since 1993, many Albertans voted for "Ralph's Team" or "Ralph" himself not knowing who their actual PC candidate was (it's like an intense form of leader-based elections). Also, the PC Party generally polled lower support than Ralph Klein. With Klein out of the picture, can the Alberta PC's survive once his card is removed from the deck? Can Stelmach sucessfully replace Ralph Klein as the central figure of the PC Party? Will Stelmach be able to appeal to the broad cross-section of Albertans that Klein was able to?
Also, it should be interesting to see what Stelmach's new cabinet looks like. Which MLA's are rewarded and which are put to pasture. As well as what the configuration of the Cabinet Ministries look like as there is a good chance that some Ministries may be merged to create a smaller Cabinet (which I believe currently has 23 Ministers).
Should be interesting...
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Dave,
ReplyDeleteI think that the PC's will be successful under Premier Stelmach. (Is he officially the premier yet?) One of the more practical reasons for this is that there is very little alternatives to the PC’s for the majority of Alberta voters, in terms of perceptions of the parties. Whether fair or not to either of the opposition parties, most Albertans reject the idea of voting for any form of Liberal (large l) party, and most will not go along with the idea of a quasi-separatist Alberta Alliance. Again I’m not saying this is fair or correct, just that it is reality as I see it. And outside of the most urban ridings in the province, the NDP aren't even a consideration, and have no chance of bringing down the government.
So my prediction is that in the worst-case scenario (for the Alberta PC's), even if Premier Stelmach articulates almost zero new ideas or vision, they will continue to govern. But having said that I don't think this will be a "worst case" type of leader. I think that you will see some real, if moderated, change within the party as well as in terms of government policy and direction. I think the Stelmach people will look to the best ideas put forth in the leadership race and implement most/some of them. Canadians don't need flashy or sexy (see Harper, Stephen and Dion, Stephane) - we want and need steady, reasonable leadership, and I think we’ve just elected someone who will deliver just that.
There was an interesting Lorne Gunter article that likened Stelmach to Harry Strom. Given Dave Bronconnier's generally complimentary post-election comments on Stelmach, I highly doubt he's going to insert himself into the Alberta Liberal leadership now, though. (But weirder things have happened.)
ReplyDeleteI wonder about Anne?
ReplyDeleteVery good analysis! Thanks.
ReplyDeletePlease give us your guesses on the cabinet positions.
ReplyDeleteIs anyone else a little concerned that no one really knows what Stelmach stands for?
ReplyDeletePC members voted for him because he wasn't Diamond Jim or Scary Ted.
Here is one worried Tory.
I count 24 ministers (25 ministries, with the only overlap I could find being Vanderberg being in charge of both Government Services and Innovation and Science).
ReplyDeleteStelmach is a nice guy, but he's got the charisma of a doorknob. He seriously needs some speech training.
ReplyDelete"Years of Cabinet experience aside, I seriously cannot name anything that Stelmach did while he was a Cabinet Minister."
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding!
He was infrastructure minister from 1999 to 2004! What he did was save Albertans some hard-earned tax dollars by making sure that absolutely no infrastructure got built or upgraded!
Deep six, deep six, deep six!
Jim said...
ReplyDelete"There was an interesting Lorne Gunter article that likened Stelmach to Harry Strom."
Gunter is an idiot. The Strom reference is very old; he did not come up with it. Gunter's predictions about the race - like pretty much anyone in the media - were completely wrong. I think Gunter will be proven wrong again.
I must say, the only one who got it right - and early - was Don Martin. Several months back, he called it a race between "Diamond Jim" and "Honest Ed". An lo an behold, it was. But I must say when Ed's campaign got quiet in the intervening period, Martin got quiet also.
13 year MLA and Klein Cabinet Minister Ed Stelmach has a huge challenge in front of him to become a "fresh face" for a 36 year old government tired of new ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe Alberta Tories are a true establishment Party in the spirit of the Liberal Party of Canada. I see no difference between the politics of Ralph Klein and Jean Chretien. I wonder if Ed Stelmach will change this.
To me Stelmach comes from an older political guard from rural Alberta - the same one that placed Ralph Klein in power in 1992.
Stelmach has little connection to the new urban political guard that is growing and is Alberta's future. Stelmach represents what Alberta was. Alberta needs a leader that will represent what Alberta can be.
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
ReplyDeleteTake a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again...
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss (?)
Change will come when Alberta gets a new government.
The winds of change are blowing across Alberta! Say good bye to the wounded and divided Tories!
Stale Stelmach?
ReplyDelete"that there is very little alternatives to the PC’s for the majority of Alberta voters"
ReplyDeleteThe PC's aren't even good enough for the majority of voters. The majority of voters stayed home in 2004. Do you think Stelmach can energize Albertans to actually get out an vote?
We know he has the support of Ted Morton's people, so they won't have to worry about teh Alliance. It's the Liberals and Kevin Taft in Edmonton and Disappointed Diamond Jim's Red Tories in Calgary that Stelmach has to watch out for.
Kevin Taft has to deliver in the next election or maybe he should be gone ....
ReplyDeleteKevin Taft is a good man, I like him, but if he cant beat Ed the Farmer in the next election, then there is something more to it than a soiled Liberal brand that is the problem...
ReplyDeleteEd Stelmach has to deliver in the next election or maybe he should be gone ....
ReplyDeleteSomeone is copy & pasting from my facebook? Now I've seen everything.
ReplyDeleteGraham Thomsons cabinet predictions from his column today:
ReplyDeleteIN: Ray Danyluk, Lyle Snelgrove, Ted Morton, Iris Evans, Ron Stevens, Dave Hancock, Gary Mar, Lyle Oberg
OUT: Heather Forsyth, Barry McFarland, Ty Lund, Victor Doerksen.