Wildrose Alliance Leader Danielle Smith, left, says her party isn't likely to return to the Progressive Conservative fold, even if Ted Morton, right, becomes leader. ((Kevin McIntosh/Canadian Press))

Ted Morton's appeal to supporters of the Wildrose Alliance could lead to split loyalties for the province's federal Tories.

The province's former finance minister, who resigned from cabinet in order to seek the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party, said he plans to bring Wildrose Alliance members back into the Progressive Conservative fold.

The Wildrose Alliance saw its membership and profile increase during Ed Stelmach's term as premier, as some considered his government to be too liberal. Stelmach announced Tuesday that he will resign as premier and party leader at the end of the legislative session and will not run again.

Morton, seen as a fiscal hawk, was the first PC MLA to announce that he intends to seek the leadership. He doesn't see a need for two right-of-centre political parties, he says.

"I have concerns about vote splitting and my goal has been... to bring the two parties back together," Morton said this week. "I think the mothership is the Progressive Conservative Association of Canada."

Divided right

But Wildrose Alliance Leader Danielle Smith disputes that claim.

"There isn't going to be any chance at all that the Wildrose is simply going to fold into the PC Party," Smith said in an interview broadcast Saturday on CBC Radio's The House. "People, myself included, were very hopeful that Ted would be able to lead a movement from within the PC Party to get them back on track. And I think that what we've seen is he's not been effective doing that."

I have not wanted to create any difficulty for my friends in the federal party. I know that there's a split in the support in their own caucus.

This could spell trouble for federal Tories in the province, some of whom have been quietly supporting Wildrose to the detriment of the provincial PCs. But now that Morton hopes to lead the PC Party, those federal Conservatives may have to pick a side.

Federal Conservative supporters — including MPs — are already divided, Smith says.

"I have not wanted to create any difficulty for my friends in the federal party," she said on The House. "I know that there's a split in the support in their own caucus."

But, she added, she's not going to enter the fray.

"I'm not interested in fanning those flames," she said.

The House airs Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. on CBC Radio One and at 7 a.m. on Sirius 137.