The enduring fault-line in Alberta politics since at least the 1930s has been between (on the urban centred liberal and moderate conservative elements that have been at the forefront in the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party &, conversely, the more rural, southern Alberta centred social conservative element that was the leading element in Social Credit & Western Canada Concept & now Wildrose.

The moderate left of centre, represented by the CCF/NDP, breakaway elements from Social Credit before WW II and small, short-lived 'liberal' Parties that arise and implode in Calgary and Edmonton periodically, haven't attracted the same deep animosity that for decades has been evident across the fault line described above.

Thus, the proposed PC/Wildrose merger will see:
(a) breakaways of MLA's from each of the predecessor Parties, &
(b) eventual recreation of 2 Parties, each representing a different strand of the division across the above fault line.