Edited sentence: A frustrated Bennett dismissed him as "a time server whose one object, apparently, is to retain office.As the depression and, later, Brownlee's sex scandal took their toll on Brownlee's government, Howson was certain that he would imminently become Premier.Both parties made overtures towards Brownlee: King had invited Brownlee to join his cabinet while he was still Attorney-General, and in 1932 sent an emissary to encourage union of all political parties opposed to the Conservatives.Brownlee reiterated his policy to deal "equally with Liberals and Conservatives in Ottawa", and declined King's overtures.Brownlee's relations with the federal parties were somewhat more harmonious.He was aided in these attacks by the unabashedly Liberal Edmonton Bulletin, which distributed free copies of issues containing coverage of the divorce in McPherson's southern Little Bow riding.Howson was aggressive in trying to uncover evidence of scandal and malfeasance, including the sensational divorce of Oran McPherson.Howson, one of their most militant MLAs, as leader.In 1934, the Conservatives sent H.McGillivray, Conservative leader from 1925 until 1929, was a friend of Brownlee's,<ref name="Brownlee 128">/> as was his successor David Duggan.Milner to raise the possibility of the UFA and the Conservatives joining together against the Liberals and Cooperative Commonwealth Federation; Brownlee expressed some interest, but made no move to enact such a coalition.Provincially, Brownlee had always enjoyed better relations with the Conservatives than the Liberals.So too did Alberta Liberals, led by Howson and Charles Stewart, who sought to replace Brownlee rather than join with him.The Liberals despised Brownlee and the UFA, and in 1932 selected William R.While he personally preferred the Liberals, his history with Bennett led to a cordial working relationship