'A number of missteps': Reaction following Jason Kenney’s departure
The race for a new United Conservative Party leader is on.
After receiving a slight majority in the party's leadership review by a 51.4 per cent margin, good enough to keep his job under party rules, Jason Kenney still made the decision to step down as premier.
“We need to move forward united,” said Kenney.
“We need to put the past behind us, and a large number of our members have asked for an opportunity to clear the air through a leadership election.”
Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley spoke with the media on Thursday afternoon. She said she sees Kenney's resignation as a chance to take back the role as premier after losing the election to him in 2019.
“When it is called we will be ready, we will be united,” said Notley.
“We will be focused on providing to Albertans the things that actually matter to them. Healthcare, affordability, competent government that they can trust to show up to work and be there for them.”
CHALLENGERS
Danielle Smith and Brian Jean are both throwing their hat in the UCP leadership ring. Smith is the former leader of the Wildrose Party who left the opposition in 2014 to cross the floor to the governing Progressive Conservatives.
Jean previously led the Wildrose Party until it merged into the UCP in 2017, where he lost a contentious battle for the leadership of the new party to Kenney.
Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen said he looks forward to working with whoever is elected as the next UCP leader.
“Our role as council here in Lethbridge is to work with any leader, any level of government and we want to make sure we're there at the table, building those relationships and working on behalf of the citizens of Lethbridge,” said Hyggen.
One Lethbridge political scientist at the U of L however believes the UCP may not survive after Kenney’s resignation and some of the turmoil that took place during his tenure.
“It’s going to take something of a miracle worker to keep them together, but again there’s kind of a long history of this,” said Trevor Harrison.
“We’ve seen this over some 25 years now of the conservative party whatever that is, eating its own.”
Harrison also said after Kenney’s landside win over Notley in the 2019 election, his voters had high hopes that the newl- elected premier would become Alberta’s ‘saviour’ so to speak, but things didn’t pan out the way Kenney or his voters had envisioned.
“There were a number of missteps that he took and scandals that occurred,” said Harrison.
“I think he simply lost the confidence of Albertans.”
Since the 2004 election in Alberta the province has had seven premiers. Of those seven, Rachel Notley is the only one to serve an entire elected term.
The next UCP leader could be announced at any time, but the latest the next provincial election could be held is May 31 of next year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.