Something of the kind happened with Saskatchewan’s Progressive Conservative Party after most of its members defected to the Saskatchewan Party in 1997. The two parties will have referendums on the unity deal at around the same time in July. But what if there exists enough of a socially conservative Wildrose true-believer bloc to sabotage this dream? He is no longer around to help the twin causes of conservative unity and Jason Kenney, as he undoubtedly might if he were alive. The stringent, non-negotiating evangelicals who founded the Wildrose party gave Smith no end of trouble after Dyrholm lost.

Source: National Post May 19, 2017 18:56 UTC