THE CANADIAN PRESS (WITH LETHBRIDGE HERALD FILES)
March 29, 2015
The former leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition and another former Wildrose member have paid a political price after crossing the floor to join the governing Progressive Conservatives. Danielle Smith lost the Tory nomination to Carrie Fischer in the riding of Highwood, south of Calgary, on Saturday while Gary Bikman lost the Cardston-Taber-Warner PC nomination to M.D. of Taber Reeve Brian Brewin.
Smith led eight of her colleagues of the Wildrose party, including Bikman of Stirling, across the floor to join the government last December in a stunning move that created a national stir among political watchers. More than 1,200 votes were cast in the Cardston-Taber-Warner nomination. Smith says she has mixed feelings with the loss. She says she’s disappointed but believes she helped make Alberta a better place.
