WILDROSE ALLIANCE LEADER WELCOMES
TWO NEW ELECTED OFFICIALS TO JOIN PARTY CAUCUS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Calgary, AB January 4, 2010: Today, Wildrose Alliance Leader Danielle Smith welcomed two new elected Members of the Legislative Assembly to the Wildrose legislative caucus, bringing the party's total number of elected officials from one to three. Under the current practices of the Alberta Legislature, it places the Wildrose Alliance ahead of the New Democrats in parliamentary order (and question period precedence) and gives the Wildrose official party status.

Effective immediately, Rob Anderson (MLA for Airdrie-Chestermere) and Heather Forsyth (MLA for Calgary-Fish Creek) have resigned as members of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and as members of the PC Caucus. In discussions leading up to this announcement, Party Executive members and riding association executives have been consulted and are pleased to confirm their support for both Rob and Heather.

"Anyone who would consider joining our party would have to be prepared to walk away from a substantial portion of their paycheque, their campaign war chests and some volunteers," stated Smith. "Since we are not the party in government, we cannot offer them a cabinet post or the trappings of power - even if we wanted to."

"Instead, their decision to cross the floor and join with our members is based on principles and the recognition that the Stelmach Tories no longer represent the interests of Albertans," Smith added.

"Over the past two years, I have committed myself to trying to make a positive impact within the government caucus by clearly advocating for the views and needs of my constituents. Unfortunately, the current PC Party Leadership has failed to address my constituents' concerns and will not permit me to speak publicly about these issues. Instead of remaining silent I have decided to stand up with even greater force for the people who elected me," stated Anderson. "This is what the citizens of Alberta pay me to do. This is what my constituents expect of me. I have no interest in investing any more of my life and taxpayers' money defending poor public policy that has been developed by a small band of out-of-touch government appointees and insiders."

"Alberta once again needs to have a stable economy, strong fiscal polices that attract capital to work here, bring back investors confidence, lower taxes and once again the Alberta Advantage needs to be back on the agenda and after meeting with Danielle Smith and other members of the Wildrose Alliance, I am confident that we can work together to build the province that Albertans deserve," said Forsyth. "This is a New Year and a New Beginning. And it begins for me with one important resolution: to stand up for the people I am elected to represent and to stand on principles that helped build a great province."

Heather Forsyth was a member of the Alberta PC Party for 25 years and is serving her fifth term as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly. Before joining the Wildrose Alliance, she has served as Chair of the Alberta Heritage Savings & Trust Fund, Private Bills Committee and the Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. She has also served in cabinet positions including the Solicitor General of Alberta and the Minister of Children's Services. During her time in elected office, she helped establish the country's first Amber Alert program, Alberta's Integrated Response to Organized Crime, the Protection of Children Involved in Prostitution (PCHIP) program, the Drug Endangered Children Act, a number of child protection initiatives and a private members' bill that mandated court access to grandparents of divorced children.

Rob Anderson was elected to his first term as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly in 2008. Before joining the Wildrose Alliance, he served as a member of the Provincial Treasury Board and serves on the standing and cabinet policy committees on Public Safety and Services as well as the Private Bills committee. He was parliamentary assistant to the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security from 2008 to 2009.

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For more information media are invited to contact:

Shawn Howard
Director of Communications, Office of the Leader
Wildrose Alliance Party
Phone:   403-850-0885 (media only)

Email:

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