Ric McIver's 'over my dead body' post rebuffs idea of peddling Wildrose memberships

PC interim leaderRic McIver saysWildroseleader Brian Jeanhas "attempted tomake hay with an outrageous statement about selling WRP memberships."

It comes after Jeansaid on Monday thatMcIver was encouragingAlberta's conservatives to buymemberships for both parties as talks continue about uniting the right.

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"PCAA is my party and is the only party which should be leading Alberta the next time an election takes place," he said of the Progressive Conservative Association of Albertain a LinkedIn post titled "Over My Dead Body."

McIver says he wrote itin response to suggestions that he is a Wildrose Party supporter.

"What I continually hear is strong support for PCAA in Alberta," he said."Make no mistake, I am all in with regard to my commitment."

'Idon't want to see Mr.McIver'sdead body'

Jean maintains McIver did make the statement about memberships and he says the Wildrose is the best-placed party to help end the NDP's time in government.

"Idon't want to see Mr.McIver's dead body, so I'm not sure what he's talking about or referring to, but Ilike Riche's a nice gentleman," said Jean at a press conference Tuesday.

"He's a hard-working Calgarian and he's given a lot of his life to Alberta, and Irespect him very much. He is just simply in the wrong party and Iwould welcome him into the Wildrose."

The war of words seems to be to the delight of the Twitterverse, including that Jean said he is a "willing dance partner"lookingto talk.

Uniting the right in Alberta was a topic of discussionlast weekend at theManning Centre's annual conference on the state of conservatism in Canada.

Both Jean and McIver were in Ottawa for the eventand attendeda reception hosted by federal Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose,who has said she will"do anything" to unite the right in Alberta anything, that is, except run for leadership of the PCs herself.