Ablonczy Might As Well Quit
Edmonton - Friday, February 1, 2002 - by: Ron Thornton
	"If I don't get what I want, I quit!" Such are the cries that arise from some of the finest primary school playgrounds and Parliamentary caucus of our country. Canadian Alliance leadership hopeful Diane Ablonczy figures she will have difficulty remaining in her party if members reject a move to unify with the Tories. We have seen this same devotion to principle displayed before. Just two years ago, her mentor Preston Manning made the same threat in his quest for passage of the ill-fated United Alternative initiative. It is something to see that the supposed respect for grassroots democracy does not preclude the use of emotional blackmail
	Ablonczy's concern is that the Alliance might become an "NDP of the right" if it doesn't fold its tents and capitulate back to the Tories. Once again, she raises the fiction of how vote-splitting is keeping the Liberals in power. Even had every Alliance and Tory voter joined forces, which in itself in sheer fantasy, we would have had a minority Liberal government with the balance of power held by either the NDP, the Bloc, or both. If that is considered progress, then you must either be a Liberal or a separatist. Now, should the pains of a merger had resulted in just 12% of those Tory-Alliance voters staying home or voting for someone else, then the Liberals would have still won a solid majority. So much for split-votes and a united right. Leadership with vision, that promises a positive change, will earn the keys to power. If all Ablonczy has her hopes for government pinned to is a merger with the Tories, then she might as well save us all the trouble and quit now.
	Ron Thornton
--------------------Addendum (Rationale):
	Based on researching each constituency result in the 2000 federal election
	PROBABLE UNITED RIGHT SEATS WON (14) NOVA SCOTIA (1): West Nova NEW BRUNSWICK (2): Fredericton, Tobique ONTARIO (10): Ancaster, Bruce-Grey, Elgin, Haliburton, Hastings, Leeds, Nepean, Oxford, Perth, Waterloo MANITOBA (1): Charleswood
	SEATS WHERE 88-100% OF ALLIANCE-TORY VOTES REQUIRED TO WIN (20) PEI (1): Cardigan ONTARIO (15): Burlington, Dufferin, Durham, Erie, Haldimand, Niagra Falls, Northumberland, Oakville, Oshawa, Ottawa West, Simcoe-Grey, St. Catherines, Stormont, Thunder Bay, York North. SASKATCHEWAN (1): Palliser* BRITISH COLUMBIA (3): Burnaby* Vancouver Quadra, Vancouver South *from NDP. All the rest from the Liberals
	PARTY 2000 results Probable United Right Result Fantasy Result Liberals 172 158 140 United Right 78 92 112 Bloc 38 38 38 NDP 13 13 11
Reference:
	Diane Ablonczy constituency web site and her bio.