Manning mulls Alberta race

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Manning mulls Alberta race
Former Reform leader interested in Conservative leadership

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein was pondering his future Saturday after being pushed off a political pedestal where he enjoyed almost 100 per cent party support to barely mustering a majority in a leadership review.

Former Reform party leader Preston Manning surprised many Saturday by expressing interest in the premier’s job — should Klein resign.

Manning, whose father Ernest was Social Credit premier prior to the rise of the Progressive Conservatives, said he’d need to be persuaded that entering a Tory leadership race would be best for the party, the province and his family.

Manning’s intentions startled declared leadership hopefuls, including former Alberta treasurer Jim Dinning and Ted Morton, who spent years involved with the Reform and Alliance movements.

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