Wildrose candidate Bruce McAllister defeated longtime Progressive Conservative MLA Ted Morton by more than 4,000 votes in the new Chestermere-Rocky View riding, April 23.
The former television anchorman will join 16 other Wildrose MLAs to form the official Opposition at the Legislature.
ìI am thrilled with how well we did out here,î said McAllister. ìWe worked hardÖ we really did run a clean, effective campaign and we were rewarded.î
McAllister said he was a bit surprised and disappointed about the PC majority in the province, an outcome that shocked pollsters, who predicted a Wildrose majority throughout the 28-day election campaign.
He attributes the PCís 61-seat majority to the partyís negative campaign tactics and strategic voting by opponents of the Wildroseís conservative policies.
ìI think that what we saw was a government that was extremely vulnerable and rallied in the last week of the campaign,î he said. ìThere were things going on behind the scenes, there were fear mongering tactics. They did a lot of things to attract voters in the last week and they are going to have to honour those commitments now.î
Despite the provincial result, McAllisterís victory in the riding was undeniable, with the 41-year-old father of three receiving 10,168 votes to Mortonís 6,156, the former broadcaster, earned 58.7 per cent of the vote.
McAllister, a Chestermere resident, attributes the majority win to his campaign, which included more than 200 volunteers.
ìWe connected with people because we say what we mean and we mean what we say,î said McAllister.
His said the Wildroseís first order of business will be choosing portfolios for MLAs to defend as the opposition.
ìWe will give Albertans a good look at who we are and what we stand for,î he said.
ìWe will be holding them accountable.î
McAllister will have the opportunity to do so soon as Premier Alison Redford announced, April 24, her party would be hosting another sitting of the Legislature before summer, although she would not discuss what would be on the agenda.
McAllister said he expects to be debating Bill 2, The Education Act, as well as the review of MLA pay and health-care reviews, items put off until after the election by the PCs.
Regardless of the discussion, McAllister said he will speak for his constituents.
ìGovernment has become more about their plan, their agenda. What I heard is that (my constituents) would like someone to represent them that would stand up and defend and advocate for them. As an elected member, you have to vote for the people in your constituency, I vow to do that,î he said.
