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Inside a mystery location in Nisku this past weekend, a group of around 50 disillusioned Wildrosers met to reanimate the party they love.

The Wildrose Party is all but gone now — membership has merged with the Progressive Conservatives, its MLAs have crossed to the new United Conservative Party, and its leader has resigned to pursue a bid to become leader of the UCP.

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The meeting was closed to the media.

Marilyn Burns, president of the Edmonton-Southwest Wildrose constituency association board, said last week it was only for those “very interested” in or “very committed” to the idea of forming Wildrose 2.0.

What about a reporter very interested as an impartial observer?

A chuckle, and, “No, but good try.”

Getting the party started

This was billed as more than simply a meeting to gauge interest in a new party — Burns insists that appetite exists.

Instead, it was a gathering to get the ball rolling — form an organizational committee, figure out a party name, get a society registered, set up a bank account, decide on a constitution, and pencil in a date for an annual general meeting in the fall.