Albertans hold fundraiser for B.C. Liberals

The B.C. Liberal Party is gettinga boost from what seems a rather unlikely groupCalgary's top politicaland business leaders.

B.C. Energy Minister Rich Coleman was at a $125-a-personfundraiser Thursday at the Delta Bow Valley Hotelin downtown Calgary, where supporters of B.C.'s governing partyand its energy policy voiced concerns about the opposition, which has been leading in recent polls.

B.C.'s provincial election is set for May 14.

Lawyer and event organizer Andy Crooks wants to seethe proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline built, and he says the prospect of a British Columbia government led bythe New Democratic Party worries Calgary businesses.

"What goes through my mind is deep concern about where B.C. politics is going and the implications that that has for Albertans," Crooks said.

"The NDP positions on some of the pipeline issues, some of the tourism issues, some of the travel issues, are deeply disturbing to a lot of us," he said.

The invitation to the event called Alberta's fortunes "inextricably linked" to B.C.'s and promised attendees a chance to hear Coleman and Sport Minister Bill Bennett, Vancouver media reported.

Calgarian Cynthia Moore said she'd be very nervous about an NDP government in B.C., because it wouldn't support the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline.

"It made a lot of sense to have this fundraiser actually," she said.

"We have property out there, and we're taxpayers, and it was kind of like,'whoa ,' you know? We should be paying attention."

Thursday's fundraiser in Calgary comesmonths after some high-profile fights between Alberta and B.C. leaders over the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline.

In October,Alberta Premier Alison Redford met with B.C. Premier Christy Clarkto discussthe Northern Gateway oil pipeline project, and both women agreed the meeting was unproductive and "frosty."

Supporters at Thursday's fundraiser said they would be willing to give Clark another chance.

As Crooks said, "we're all working hard for the least of the evils."