Christina VarvisAlison Redford Resignation, Jim Prentice Election
Alberta’s first female premier stepped down early this year after being dogged by caucus member resignations, inappropriate use of government funds, and an overall slump in Conservative Party support.
Alison Redford surrendered her seat in the Alberta Legislature in early August, one day before the Auditor General released a report on her use of public funds while in office. Calls for an RCMP investigation into the scandal were made by numerous Tory politicians, most notably then-premier Dave Hancock.
Alison Redford, who had served as an MLA for Calgary-Elbow since 2008, succeeded Ed Stelmach as Premier in 2011. Interim Premier Dave Hancock took power in March after Redford’s resignation, and was succeeded by Jim Prentice who took office in September following a Tory leadership election.
Following Jim Prentice’s ascension to the Office of the Premier, the Conservative Party has once again wrestled control of the legislature to a whopping 83 per cent, following the near-dissolution of the Wildrose Alliance, the formerly strong official opposition.
Et tu, Smith?
Wildrose Alliance leader Danielle Smith crossed the floor of the legislature along with numerous members of her caucus to join the Progressive Conservatives in late December, calling the move a “victory” for the Alliance.
The floor crossing was preceded by a number of other defections. MLA for Rocky Mountain House-Sundre Joe Anglin left the Wildrose to sit as an independent on Nov. 3, alleging that he was due to be expelled from the party for airing criticisms against Smith’s leadership. Nov.24 saw two more caucus members leave to join the PCs.
The Wildrose Alliance has all but collapsed, following the departure of nine MLA’s to the PCs. The once 17 strong official opposition now sits with five seats in the legislature, on par with the Alberta Liberals.
Oil by the barrel rolls downhill
The price of oil has been declining steadily since the summer. The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil has seen a 50 per cent decrease in the span of about six months. The drop, owing to increased global supplies and relatively stagnant demand, has led Premier Jim Prentice to warn Albertans of tough times ahead.
At a Calgary Chamber of Commerce speech on Nov. 28, Prentice said that the 2015 spring budget will be planned around oil prices within the $65to $75 per barrel range. He also claimed that healthcare, education, and other social services would be exempt from cuts. At the time of writing, the price of WTI by the barrel is sitting at a solid $50.04.
Economists are forecasting potential layoffs in the oil sector of the Alberta economy, and at the very least, less hiring in the job market.
