Danielle Smith returning to Alberta politics, wants to challenge Kenney
Former Alberta politician Danielle Smith is trying to get back into the legislature.
Smith announced that she'll be seeking the nomination candidacy for the United Conservative Party in the Livingstone-Macleod riding during a press conference Friday morning.
But her aspirations are bigger than the seat.
Smith made it clear Friday that she has her eyes set on the UCP leadership.
"If (members) want to go to a leadership contest, then I will put my name in that," she said. "I would be quite delighted to represent the people of this province in that capacity."
Most polls show Premier Jason Kenney has a low approval rating, despite his party slowly trending in the opposite direction.
Smith agrees with the assessment.
"I was very supportive of the premier in his first year on the job," she said, "and I feel badly for him that his leadership has been disrupted by COVID.
"Where he continues to have challenges is there are people who are offended that he doesn't seem to understand rural Alberta. And there are people that are offended that he doesn't appear to put Alberta first.
"I have been a supporter of Alberta exerting its autonomy more and more."
Smith also expressed displeasure with the current leadership review process, which is set to start next week and will decide Kenney's future.
"The party made a grave mistake when they canceled the general meeting in Red Deer," she said. "When it looked like the premier was going to lose, (the party) cancelled it."
Smith says she wants to focus on issues within the agriculture sector and on supply chain shortages.
She's also focused on vaccine mandates and natural immunity, the cost of fuel and provincial land use.
KENNEY'S REACTION TO SMITH
While speaking at a fuel tax consumer relief program announcement at a gas station in southeast Calgary, Premier Kenney says he's concentrating on the needs of the province and not the claims of his detractors.
"My focus is on making life better for Albertans," said Kenney. "I'm here today underscoring $1.7 billion of relief for consumers while we continue to fight the Liberal-NDP carbon tax.
"So I'm not going to be distracted by voices of division. I'm focused on, as I always have been, uniting the conservative movement."
SMITH'S POLITICAL HISTORY
Smith is the former leader of the Wildrose Party who left the opposition in 2014 to cross the floor to the sitting Progressive Conservatives.
The next year, Smith lost her bid for the PC nod in Highwood.
She then turned her attention to a daily radio show, which ended in January 2021.
The current UCP MLA in the Livingstone-Macleod riding is Roger Reid.
"BIZARRE POLITICAL SITUATION"
University of Lethbridge sociology professor Trevor Harrison says the timing of Smith's announcement — just one week before Kenney's review begins — is not coincidental.
"What we are seeing right now is the continuing of fragmentation of whatever we call the conservative movement in Alberta," Harrison said. "It is just the most interesting and perhaps bizarre political situation any of us have ever seen."
Kenney insists that despite its differences, his party would be better off living up to its United Conservative name.
"(Voters) want stable, sound, responsible leadership that will maintain a big tent, a mainstream Conservative party," he told CTV News. "What I'm hearing is tremendous encouragement, but ultimately the members will get their say."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
TD Bank hit with record US$3 billion fine over drug cartel money laundering
TD Bank will pay US$3 billion to settle charges that it failed to properly monitor money laundering by drug cartels, regulators announced Thursday.
Poilievre, Guilbeault claim victory after federal budget watchdog's updated carbon tax report
Both the Liberals and Conservatives are claiming a win after the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released an updated report on the economic impacts of the federal carbon tax on Canadian households.
DEVELOPING Live updates: Millions without power amid path of destruction left by Hurricane Milton
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Hurricane Milton by the numbers
Hurricane Milton ripped through Florida Wednesday evening, leaving a trail of destruction, flooding and power outages.
Fisher-Price infant swings recalled in Canada after 5 deaths reported
Several models of Fisher-Price infant swings have been recalled in Canada after the company received reports of fatalities link to affected products.
'The View' co-hosts come out swinging at Donald Trump a day after he insulted them
The hosts of ABC's 'The View' clapped back at Donald Trump on Thursday, a day after the Republican nominee for president insulted co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg.
Dozens of tornado warnings were issued ahead of Hurricane Milton. Is that normal?
Florida saw a record number of tornado warnings in a single day Wednesday. An expert says this phenomenon is not unheard of.
Video shows violent robbery north of Toronto, suspects make off with suitcase full of cash: police
Police north of Toronto have released video of what they’re describing as a violent, targeted robbery in Thornhill, where suspects boxed in the victim’s car and made off with a suitcase filled with cash.
Poilievre says 'other ways' to address affordability for seniors than Bloc's proposed pension boost
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that while his party backed a Bloc Quebecois motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits, he thinks there are 'other ways' to address affordability for older Canadians.