Alberta Party Leadership Nominations Close Today

The next growth stage for the Alberta Party starts today.  The nominations for the leadership close today so we will know who is really in the running to lead this new political party and who is not.

GLENN TAYLOR FIRST AP LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE CONFIRMED:
Glenn Taylor was confirmed as qualified to run for the Alberta Party leadership last Thursday.  He was the first candidate to declare his intentions to seek the Alberta Party leadership on February 8th and he is the first to meet the requirements of the Alberta Party to qualify to run for leadership.

Glenn is the candidate I believe most qualified and experienced to help the Alberta Party move to the next level of organization and preparation.  He aligns with the values and the shared governing philosophy of the Alberta Party.  There is also a pragmatic reality facing the Alberta Party around leadership. That is all the work that must be done to get this fledgling political movement ready to be a force to be reckoned with in the next Alberta election.

There is so much on the ground organizing work to be done.  That will take dedicated time and proven talent if the next leader to continue to help the Alberta Party and its dedicated and growing membership realize the goal of being a viable and valid political alternative in the next election. The next election may come sooner than we think.

ALBERTA PARTY IS MOVING TO THE NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH:
Albertans are now seriously considering the Alberta Party but there is a long and arduous road ahead to move  people from seriously considering to actually supporting the Alberta Party. Part of that shift will depend on  the new leader.  Will she or he be credible within the Alberta Party membership to capture and help them generate more enthusiasm for  doing politics differently?  Will the new Alberta Party leader be credible with the general voting population of Alberta to move beyond being Alberta Party curious to being an Alberta Party supporter?

That support for the Alberta Party that must come from Albertans who are yearning for a viable alternative to status quo politics.  Casting a ballot for an Alberta Party candidate is necessary but insufficient to make the real difference the Alberta Party is pursuing.  That support has to translate into memberships, fund raising, constituency organization, candidacy selection and training, policy and platform development, communications.  Plus a deep and determined dedication to continuing and extending  the Big Listen process all over, up to and through the next election.  That support comes from hard work and devoting the time necessary to make it happen.

QUALITIES AND CAPACITIES OF THE NEXT LEADER:
The next a leader has to do all this and model the behaviour necessary for others to engage deploying their time and talents to the cause too.  This is a shared responsibility that is lead from within the membership not  dictated by a top down leader.  The Alberta Party is looking for an authentic and catalytic leader not just a charismatic personality kind of leadership.  Finding that kind and quality of leader is one of the keys for the Alberta Party to actually demonstrate that we will do politics differently and not just say we are different.

The new leader has to be capable an competent in all these areas as well as bring the capacity for personal electability.  There is nothing good going to happen for the growth of the Alberta Party if the new leader is not electable in a constituency somewhere in Alberta.  That is the truly one of the most profound and pragmatic reasons why Glenn Taylor is the best choice for the Alberta Party leadership.  He has been elected four times in Hinton, three times as Mayor.

Glenn is the real deal when it comes to organizing and delivering on citizen engagement and political participation .  He has sold the most Alberta Party memberships of anyone in his campaign.  I will not be surprised that come the May 28 Alberta Party Leadership and Policy Convention that Glenn's constituency of West Yellowhead is going to be one of the largest, if not the largest Alberta Party constituency membership in all of Alberta.

Glenn has attracted and recruited former provincial and federal candidates from the NDP and Liberals in the West Yellowhead constituency to join the Alberta Party and support his leadership bid and his candidacy for the Alberta Party in the next election.  That kind of bridge building and relationship focus is going to be at the heart of the next stage of the Alberta Party growth and development.

JOIN THE ALBERTA PARTY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
So today is a big day in the history and the future of the Alberta Party and those candidates who qualify for the leadership race.  They offer themselves for public service in a partisan political leadership role and potentially as the Premier of the province.

So Alberta, it is not too late to have an influence on the Alberta Party, its leadership and the future of the province.  If you want to support Glenn Taylor you can.  You can buy a membership by contacting haleys@glenntaylor.org.  You can donate online at www.glenntaylor.org.  You can organize and invite folks to a meet and greet event in your home or your community to move people from Alberta Party curious to Alberta Party enthusiast.

Forty years of one party rule is enough.  We need a viable progressive political alternative.  The good news is the Alberta Party is emerging as that viable progressive political alternative but it need nurturing and support to make it happen.  The world is run by those who show up.  Here is a chance for you to be a citizen again  and to be part of running Alberta again.