If Danielle Smith is not elected as the province’s premier when Albertans return to the polls in 2016, she plans to resign as the leader of Alberta’s Wildrose Party.
Smith made the announcement while addressing the crowd at Friday night’s Wildrose Annual General Meeting in Red Deer.
"The fact we didn't make the kind of progress we hoped in those four byelections means that we've got to do certain things differently,” said Smith. “I firmly believe that the ideas of our grassroots members are the ones that will direct our next step we need to take."
During her keynote speech, Smith stated the party is at a crossroads but she disclosed her five point plan for defeating the PC's in the next election.
Following the PC’s recent byelection victories in three Calgary ridings and one Edmonton riding, Smith requested a Wildrose leadership review. The request was withdrawn after Smith received overwhelming support from the party’s MLAs.
The Wildrose leader took to her blog, Elect Danielle, on Saturday morning to reassure the party's supporters that her leadership ultimatum was based in optimism.
"It is true that I said I no longer will be Leader of the Official Opposition after the next election – but that is because I intend to be Premier," said Smith in the November 15 post.
Smith was elected as the leader of the Wildrose Party of Alberta in October of 2009.
