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Strolling along 4th Street S.W., Wildrose Leader Brian Jean remarked that his political action committee might spend $1 million to ensure a “yes” victory in the conservative unity vote on July 22.

Jean was at Calgary’s Lilac Festival last Sunday, looking happy as a stream of Calgarians bought Wildrose memberships to cast a vote for unity.

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He said his PAC — called the Alberta Fund — is being “repurposed” to campaign for unity.

After July 22, the Alberta Fund simply rejoins the struggle to make Jean leader of the new United Conservative Party, and then the premier.

The conservative unity movement has brought rapid growth of these netherworld political action groups.

Under provincial law — or the lack of it — they can function entirely without regulation or reporting as long as they don’t buy political advertising.

The Unite Alberta PAC that saw Jason Kenney through to the PC leadership campaign did not advertise, so it isn’t required to report donations that are sure to total more than $1 million.