Wildrose leader says Prentice will not bring change

Wildrose leader Danielle Smith says Jim Prentice won't change the problems within theProgressive Conservative party if he is elected leader.

Insiders say Prentice, a former Calgary MP and cabinet minister, is making plans to enter the race for leader of the provincial Progressive Conservatives.

But Smith says he will not be able to change the attitude of entitlement within the party.

"It's the same party and it will be the same party on September 20th when they have a new leader as it is today and that is fundamentally what is wrong with the PCs," said Smith.

"If you're beholden to the insiders because the insiders are the ones that recruited you and the insiders are the ones who are running your campaign, you're not going to be a change agent."

Formal announcement

Jim Prentice is expected to make a formal announcement about the leadership race within the coming weeks.

He would be considered the front runner in the race but Smith says that is no guarantee he would win.

"Front runners don't have a very good history of winning the PC leadership. Nancy Betkowski lost and Jim Dinning lost and Gary Mar lost so he's going to have his work cut out for him."

The hunt for a new Progressive Conservative leader was launched after Allison Redford resigned as premier over questionable travel expenses.