As the federal Liberal caucus lost its last representative in the 2006 election — that would Anne McLellan losing to Laurie Hawn up in Edmonton — it fell to the MP nearest that province to take note, today in the House of Commons, of the provincial Liberal victory yesterday in a by-election in Ralph Klein’s old riding. And that’s why it’s the Yukon’s Larry Bagnell who had this to say:
Hon. Larry Bagnell (Yukon, Lib.) (left) :
Mr. Speaker, the Alberta Progressive Conservatives lost a precious piece of political real estate last night. The seat held by former premier Ralph Klein went to Liberal Craig Cheffins in a byelection yesterday.The loss of Calgary–Elbow should be considered both a symbolic and a political blow to the six-month-old Stelmach government. The PCs held this seat since they took it in 1971. Clearly, this would be of concern for Premier Ed Stelmach, who is the only Conservative premier in Canada who is still on speaking terms with the Prime Minister.
Perhaps even more telling is the fact that part of Calgary–Elbow is in the Prime Minister's own riding; a Prime Minister who helped cause the defeat by his broken promise on income trusts.
On behalf of Liberals all across the country, I would like to extend our congratulations to Mr. Cheffins and Alberta Liberal leader Kevin Taft.
Maybe the winds that brought us Liberal governments in PEI and New Brunswick are Alberta bound.