The defection of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Kerry Towle to the PCs may be only the beginning of big trouble for the Wildrose Party, says Joe Anglin.
“This is a huge test for Danielle Smith and for the party,” Anglin told the Gazette. “They have to pass this test. If they don't get out of this mess they will falter and go by the wayside.
“I can tell you there are four more (Wildrose) MLAs just sitting on the fence wondering what to do. If they (the party leadership) don't correct the problems very quickly there will be more defections.”
He declined to name the four MLAs.
The former Wildrose MLA for the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding, Anglin resigned from the party to sit as an independent on Nov. 2, saying the party had become “infested with an unelected backroom weed that is choking off the grassroots movement.”
“The party was beginning to interfere with our legislative work, which is to represent our constituents,” he said. “There was a lot of irrational decision-making going on in the party.
“My issue wasn't with Danielle Smith, but the fact is there were fringes within the party that were taking the party in directions that I don't think my constituents would really agree with it.”
Kerry Towle and fellow Wildrose MLA Ian Donovan defected to the PCs on Nov. 24.
At the time, Towle said she was increasingly concerned with the “continued fraction” of the Wildrose leadership.
"If they don't get out of this mess they will falter and go by the wayside."Joe Anglin
