EDMONTON — Progressive Tory Party of Alberta leader Peter Guthrie released a video, calling vote splitting a 'myth' and a message being used by the UCP to scare Albertans away from voting for a different conservative party. "It's a political construct to control your vote and suppress competition," said Guthrie in a video posted on X. "The UCP is telling people that if they dare support a more responsible conservative option, they'll hand the election to the NDP.""That argument only works if Albertans feel trapped having no choice, which is exactly what the UCP wants, but here's the truth, when a government has to scare you into voting for them, they've already lost.".Guthrie's comments allude to Alberta's 2015 election, in which the province elected a non-conservative government for the first time since 1971, after the Wild Rose Party, a conservative alternative to the PC Party, rose in popularity, a development many argue enabled the Alberta NDP to win a majority government.In terms of popular vote, the NDP received 40.6%, while the two conservative parties split 52%, with the PC winning 27.8% and the Wild Rose winning 24.2%.Guthrie, however, demands that the NDP didn't win because conservative voters were split between the two parties."It was a protest vote, a rejection of corruption, cronyism and Danielle Smith's floor crossing crushed hopes for a conservative victory," Guthrie said."Albertans weren't endorsing the NDP. They were firing a government for abandoning the values that built this province, and today, with scandal secrecy and separatist politics dominating the government, we're right back in the danger zone again."According to Guthrie, Albertans are tired of the UCP's scandals, divisiveness, and authoritarian control, and without another "credible conservative option," the NDP will win another election by default, just like they did in 2015."The Tory party is here to give Albertans a PC option that they can trust again, a party that believes in responsibility, not division, unity over separation, accountability, not cover ups and confidence, not cronyism," Guthrie said..Since leaving the UCP caucus and ultimately joining, and eventually leading, the Tory party (formerly Alberta Party), Guthrie has made a concerted effort to align his group as a viable option for conservative voters who do not want to vote for the UCP.He helped Alberta Party lead the charge to change its name to the "Alberta Progressive Conservative Party," but the UCP ultimately blocked the change following a legal case and the enactment of Bill 14, which restricts political party names that could create confusion or deceive voters.The Alberta Party officially rebranded a second time in December, adopting its current Tory party name.
