New Wildrose leader ready to take on Stelmach Tories

The new leader of the Wildrose Alliance wants Albertans to think of the party as the government in waiting, not as a protest party.

Danielle Smith was elected at a convention in Edmonton on Saturday, beatingthe only other candidate,Mark Dyrholm.

The two were vying to replace interim leader Paul Hinman,who won a byelection in Calgary-Glenmore last month, securing the party's only seat in the provincial legislature.

With Hinman's surprise victory and growing popularity in opinion polls, Smith thinks the governingProgressive Conservativesare vulnerable.

The self-described fiscal conservative and social libertarian is looking ahead to the next election.

Smithsaid she believesher party can bring an end to one of the most successful political dynasties in Canadian history.

"Thus we can restore what is so plainly missing from the current government self discipline, focus and accountability," she said.

"If we do our work right, we could find ourselves governing this province in 2012."

Long road ahead

Although the Wildrose Alliance has only one seat, while the Tories have 70, Smith said Albertans are ready for a change.

"We tend to elect governments for a long period of time, but we throw them out once they become disconnected from the people they are supposed to serve, and we do it quickly," she said.

"As I've gone from one corner of this province to the other over the course of this campaign, I can tell you something: Change is coming."

Smith has a number of long-time Tories in her corner, including former provincial cabinet minister Ernie Isley.

He said there is growing discontent with Premier Ed Stelmach and his government.

"You know, I look around the room here and I see lots of faces that I've been to many Conservative conventions with."

However, Smith and the Wildrose Alliance face a big challenge.

She needs to raise the party's profile, set up dozens of constituency associations, grow the party's membership and attract candidates.

Liberals skeptical of Wildrose success

Smith said she believes her party will soon be seen as the true opposition to the Stelmach Conservatives, but Liberal Leader David Swann said her claim is nothing but rhetoric.

Swannmaintains thatthe Wildrose Alliance is focused on dissatisfaction with Stelmach, and they are not an emerging political force.

"The polls that we've looked at show that were an election called, the Liberals would get another eight to 10 seats and the Wildrose would get four to five."

As people learn more about Smith and the Wildrose party, they will realize she does not share their values, Swann said.

"I don't think she represents Albertans' values, once they understand more about her position on private health care and eliminating the human rights commission and her openness to an unfettered market," he said.

Mount Royal University political scientist Keith Brownsey warns Smith will have to be careful as she begins to explain exactly what her party stands for.

"That will open up the party to scrutiny, scrutiny that it hasn't had to face until this leadership vote."