After years of small policy meetings with people raising policies from the floor and constant argument over the procedures. One particularly brutal one I attended the policy discussions consumed nearly five hours arguing over the minutia of policy.
In Red Deer, the Wildrose Alliance showed they were not new kids on the block when it came to what they wanted to get out of their annual general meeting. While there was a focus on policy, enough for most policy wonks happy, there was also some social events and different types of activities to make people feel part of a movement rather than another policy group.
That distinctive difference started in the winter as the party made sure that policies had been examined and discussed and motions dealt with well before. So that when the meeting came the delegates were well aware of what the process is and how it will be voted on.
Most of the more difficult policy motions moderated the party as they avoided politicizing nuclear power, teachers will no longer be singled out by policy and the motion to setting up a constitutional right to bear arms failed to pass.
Frequently as discussions were put forward all sides appeared to be respectful and there was no sense of hostility even when people lost on their issues. Certainly that in and of itself shows some purpose to work with the policies in a healthy matter.
The party still will be aggressive in fiscal conservative ideals. While it did not shy away from some social conservative ideas they have been softened to make them more palatable to voters.
In other words the party has grown up and is showing itself to be a much more professional organization than the previous versions. Some, will still criticize but the party appears to be making headway this weekend.
Day two proved that the excitement of day one could be maintained even with the most fundamental of discussion topics.
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