Alberta's new Wildrose Alliance Party has been shut out of the provincial legislature. The party's best hope, leader Paul Hinman, was defeated by just 39 votes in a back-and-forth race in his home riding of Cardson-Taber-Warner.
The fiscally and socially conservative party finished second in eight rural ridings:
- Airdrie-Chestermere.
- Cardson-Taber-Warner.
- Strathmore-Brooks.
- Dunvegan-Central Peace.
- Little Bow.
- Rocky Mountain House.
- Whitecourt-Ste. Anne.
- Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills.
Hinman was first elected to the legislature in a 2005 byelection as leader of the Alberta Alliance party. It merged with the Wildrose Party in January — its founders hoping to capitalize on feelings that the governing Conservative party had moved too far toward the centre.
Hinman raised eyebrows in 2006 when he asked Alliance members to buy Conservative party memberships so they could support Ted Morton's bid for the PC party's leadership. At the time, Hinman said Morton's values were most in line with the Alberta Alliance.
The newly-formed party is said to have a debt of about $200,000, which will be difficult to fund with no representatives in the House.
Alberta Votes 2008 »
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- Political tide turns in Edmonton
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Riding Profiles
More Alberta Votes Headlines »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
