Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta

The Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta (Template:Langx) was an Albertan autonomist, libertarian and conservative political party in Alberta, Canada.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>

The party was named the Alberta First Party (Template:Langx) from 1999 to 2004, when it changed its name to the Separation Party of Alberta (Template:Langx). In 2013, it reverted to Alberta First.<ref name="Elections Alberta">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In April 2018, it became the Western Freedom Party of Alberta (Template:Langx).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On June 22, 2018, it was announced that the Western Freedom Party had changed to its present name.<ref name=":0" />

On April 27, 2020, the party announced plans to merge with Wexit Alberta and for a new party called the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Members of both parties voted to approve the merger on June 29, 2020.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2020, Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta was officially registered with Elections Alberta, giving effect to the merger.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MLAs

The party had one member, Derek Fildebrandt, in the Alberta Legislature prior to the 2019 Alberta general election.

Beliefs

According to the founding documents<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the main objectives of the party were as follows:

1. Autonomy for Alberta
2. Freedom for Alberta
3. Responsibility for Alberta's government.

The Freedom Conservative Party advocates for an autonomous Alberta within a United Canada and is libertarian, and fiscally conservative in its leanings. For example, the parties founding documents call for the government to "pass no law to protect two consenting adults from themselves" and "abolish unnecessary controls over the economy".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Fiscally the founding document lays out that Alberta should "collect no more revenue than is needed and spend no more revenue than is required".<ref name="FCP website">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

The Freedom Conservative Party took over the legal shell of the former Alberta First Party. After changing its name to the Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta on June 22, 2018, it gained its first MLA after Derek Fildebrandt changed his affiliation from Independent Conservative and crossed the floor after being barred from running as a candidate for the United Conservative Party.

He was appointed interim leader, pending a vote. During the announcement of the new party, Fildebrandt stated that it is not a separatist party but rather, its members were "conservatives, libertarians and Alberta patriots".<ref> Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1" />

It plans to run candidates in conservative strongholds, such as rural Alberta. Fildebrandt has stated he intends to avoid placing candidates in ridings where he believes the incumbent governing New Democratic Party would have a chance of winning in case of a split in the conservative vote.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Leadership election

The party's first convention under the Freedom Party name was held in Chestermere and first leadership race since 1999 was held on October 20, 2018.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Interim leader Derek Fildebrandt was the only leadership candidate, and therefore was acclaimed as leader.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After the 2019 Alberta General Election and resignation of Derek Fildebrandt, David White was elected on the second ballot as Interim Leader of the Freedom Conservative Party at a party meeting in Calgary on May 4, 2019. Three candidates were on the ballot. Template:Infobox leadership election

Election results

The 30th Alberta general election which will be held in 2019 is the Freedom Conservative Parties first contested election in its current form.

Election	Leader	Seats	Change	Place	Votes	%	Position
2019	Derek Fildebrandt	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 1	Template:Decrease 6th	8,982	0.54%	Template:Eliminated

In the Alberta 2019 election, the party is so far confirmed to be running the following candidates in the following ridings:

• Derek Fildebrandt (Leader) in Chestermere-Strathmore<ref name="Candidates">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Matthew Morrisey in Airdrie-Cochrane<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Rick Northey in Airdrie-East<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Regina Shakirova in Calgary-Bow<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Kari Pomerleau in Calgary-Foothills<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Dejan Ristic in Calgary-Glenmore<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Sheyne Espey in Calgary-Peigan<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Cam Khan in Calgary-North West<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Rio Aiello in Calgary-West<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Wesley Caldwell in Camrose<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Steve Goodman in Drayton Valley-Devon<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Jason Norris in Edmonton-Whitemud<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Malcolm Stinson in Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Bernard Hancock in Grande Prairie (provincial electoral district)<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Chad Miller in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Jeff Rout in Leduc-Beaumont<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Keith Parrill in Lacombe-Ponoka<ref name="Candidates"/>
• David White in Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Allen Maclennan in Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Connie Russell in Peace River (provincial electoral district)<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Matt Chapin in Red Deer North<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Teah-Jay Cartwright in Red Deer South<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Dawn Berard in Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre<ref name="Candidates"/>
• Jim McKinnon in Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright<ref name="Candidates"/>

Leadership history

	Name	Date	Notes
Template:Canadian party colour |	Derek Fildebrandt	2018–2019	Changed party name to Freedom Conservative Party in June 2018.
Template:Canadian party colour |	David White (interim)	2019–2020	Elected May 4, 2019 on second ballot. Contested with three candidates.

See also

• Alberta separatism
• Western alienation

External links

• Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta website