Premier Ed Stelmach’s announcement on Jan. 25 that he would be stepping down as leader of the Progressive Conservative party was news that “saddened” local MLA Ray Danyluk, who was the first MLA to throw his support behind Stelmach during the 2006 leadership race.
“As a rural Albertan, I’m very saddened by the premier leaving,” he said. “In my view, he has been the most committed, dedicated politician.”
Speculation has run rampant that Stelmach resigned rather than cause further rifts in caucus, according to media reports that former Finance Minister Ted Morton, a staunch fiscal conservative, was unhappy about the delay in returning to a time of balanced budgets and wanted to restrain spending. In the wake of Stelmach’s surprise announcement, Morton resigned his cabinet post and stated his intention to run for the party’s leadership.
“It’s politics,” Danyluk said of what prompted Stelmach’s decision to resign. The premier wanted to avoid slashing spending, which would mean fewer hospitals, fewer schools and school improvements and less money for social services, among other things, said Danyluk. He went on to say, “Yes, there was some dissension,” but then stepped back on that choice of words, instead saying, “We all have different opinions. (Stelmach) felt he didn’t want to see a division.”
As for Danyluk’s own political future, he was close-lipped, and in response to a direct question about whether he would take a run at leadership, did not rule out the possibility. “I am interested in doing the best job I can for the constituency,” he said, adding he had been approached by “many” about putting in a leadership bid. However, his direction on the leadership issue will be determined by the people he represents. “People make it very clear where I should be.” Whatever happens, the people of the Lac La Biche-St. Paul constituency need to get involved in supporting a candidate who understands what the area and rural Alberta contributes to the province, he stressed.
Stelmach was one of the first, if not the first, Albertan premiers elected from rural Alberta and understood the importance of rural Alberta, said Danyluk. “His passion for Albertans and Alberta and especially to rural Alberta is unsurpassed.”
Wildrose Alliance candidate Shayne Saskiw, who is aiming to represent the right of centre party in the Lac La Biche-St. Paul constituency, felt Stelmach’s resignation was further evidence that the government is “in complete disarray.” The government had made serious missteps in health care and property rights, and Stelmach knew there were questions about his leadership, said Saskiw. “He felt the footsteps coming from behind him.”
Although Morton has been called a fiscal hawk, Saskiw said Morton had admitted to being more of a fiscal “mallard” of late. Morton had a lot to explain in terms of why he introduced the largest deficit budget in Alberta’s history last year, and his role as an “architect” in constructing Bill 36, which Saskiw saw as an assault on property rights.
“I don’t think any cabinet ministers can distance themselves from poor policy decisions and a lack of direction,” he said. The PC party has “past its best-before date” and the province would be best served by an entirely new government in the Wildrose Alliance, led by Danielle Smith, he said.
However, other local politicians spoke more warmly of the premier’s history of serving the province. Westlock-St. Paul MP Brian Storseth pointed out Stelmach’s resignation would set of a wave of “speculation” and politics on who would replace the leader of the PC party, but said, “Now is the time to be very respectful of the premier’s 25 years of public service. This is a man who has dedicated most of his professional career to helping Albertans and he has a long legacy that he has left.”
Working in politics is not an easy job, noted Town of St. Paul Mayor Glenn Andersen. “Political life is rough not only on the individual, but also the family,” he said. “Your personal life does take some stress.” On top of it, politicians like Stelmach have to handle a lot of criticism, which was particularly true with major issues that have come up recently, such as the handling of the province’s oil resources and health care, said Andersen. He said he wouldn’t criticize the premier for his work, instead praising him with, “I think he’s done an admirable job.”
