Unite Alberta parties to defeat Tories, urge Liberals

Alberta Liberals are urging "progressive" political parties to band together in the next election to end theprovincial Conservatives' 39-year hold on power.

Ahalf-page ad, published Wednesday in the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal, featuresa letter titled "Let's Talk," signed by Liberal Leader David Swann and party president Tony Sansotta.

"We acknowledge that this means change," the letter says. "It means setting aside political hostility, and putting Albertans first."

Liberal party members voted at their annual general meeting in May to work with other parties in the next election.

"Continuing to do the same thing over and over again is a recipe for getting the same results," said Liberal leader David Swann. "We do not like the results. Most Albertans do not like the results. It's time for a change."

Liberals 'floundering': Mason

Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason rejected Swann's proposal and said the Liberals simply want his party out of the way.

"We believe that this ad by the Alberta Liberal party is an act of desperation by a party that is clearly floundering and is worried about holding on to the seats that it does have," he said.

Mason saidthe two-member NDP caucus hasbeen more effective at stopping thegovernment than the eight MLAs in the Liberal caucus.

"Our focus is to elect more New Democrats in the next election," he said.

While the Alberta NDP membership twice rejected a motion to work with the Liberals during the election,Mason didn't rule out co-operating with them in the legislature afterwards.

Swann dimissed suggestions the move was a sign of weakness, saying that it's timefor the party to change its strategy.

"We consistently garner 250,000votes in this province," he said.

"The question is: 'How are we going to get the majority of Albertans interested in politics again? How are we going to give them a sense that they can influence and they can be reflected in the politicians and the decisions of the day?'"