Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Early Frontrunner Officially Joins Leadership Race

After a long serving and personally popular leader is forced from office, the former finance minister has officially joined the race to succeed to both the party leadership and a return to Cabinet at its head.


Now, the media has declared that former minister as the runaway front-runner for the leadership of the party. He is expected to walk away with the leadership after a pro-forma leadership race.

Sound familiar?


The one difference is, this is the Alberta provincial PC leadership race, not the famous Martin takeover of the federal liberals...and we all know how well that one worked out.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Dinning will be the same disaster that Mr. Dithers was in 24 Sussex. Personally, I respect him greatly, and think that if the predictions of his victory are realized, he will serve the Province admirably as Premier.

It's just that coronations tend to stifle the debate about the future that a good, competitive leadership race can foster. Strong competitors challenge each other and put forth differing visions of the future for the members of the party to weigh, consider, and choose between. Here's hoping that the PC leadership race is less a coronation, and more a competition.

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