At a Glance: May 16-27
UCP Leadership Review Ends in Kenney Resignation
Jason Kenney and his supporters viewed the reading of the results live at an event in Calgary and when it was revealed that Kenney received over 50% of the vote, the room erupted in applause. Tears of joy and emotional embraces were shared among staff, volunteers, and supporters, but their celebration was cut short once Kenney took the stage.
“The result is not what I hoped for or frankly what I expected” Kenney told his supporters, and “that is why tonight I’ve informed the president of the party of my intention to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party.” The MLAs in the crowd were led to the basement for a private chat with Kenney and the rest of the crowd left the venue without much more discussion. The UCP will now begin the process of selecting a new leader. Jason Kenney was the first leader of the UCP and was instrumental in uniting the conservative movement in Alberta.
Kenney to Remain Leader Until the Conclusion of the Leadership Race
It was announced that Jason Kenney will remain leader of the UCP until a new leader is chosen. Caucus chair Nathan Neudorf said in a statement that Caucus has “affirmed Premier Jason Kenney’s continued leadership of our Caucus and government until such time as a new leader is chosen, the timing of which will be determined by the United Conservative Party.” Neudorf added that the MLAs had a vigorous discussion and debate about the party’s future and had agreed to remain united and focused on the job Albertans elected them to do.
On their way into the McDougall Centre in Calgary for the caucus meeting, some of the MLAs who have been outspoken in their criticisms for Kenney told reporters that they wanted to see him resign immediately and have an interim leader take over until the conclusion of the leadership race. Leadership hopeful Brian Jean took the opportunity to once again attack Kenney saying that “the healing process can’t start until Jason Kenney leaves”. A new leader will need to be selected before the election scheduled in May of 2023.
Government Welcomes Man’s Best Friend to Patios Across the Province
The province announced this week changes to the Public Health Act’s food regulation making it easier for establishments to welcome dogs onto summertime patios. The new changes mean that restaurants in Alberta no longer need approval from Alberta Health Services to allow dogs onto their patios. In a written statement from AHS, they said “AHS is supportive of dog-friendly patios as long as it’s being done in a safe manner. We will continue to be available to restaurant owners and Albertans to provide guidance and support in the establishment and maintenance of dog-friendly patios as needed.”
Health Minister Jason Copping called the change “long overdue” citing the fact that other jurisdictions have allowed dogs on patios for years. The changes leave the decisions up to the restaurant owners, restaurants can choose whether they want to allow dogs onto their patios. The legislative change applies only to dogs and not to other animals.
UCP Popularity Surges in Wake of Premier Kenney’s Resignation
After receiving only 51.4% in the leadership review, Premier Kenney announced his intentions to resign as leader of the UCP. A week later, UCP approval ratings in the province have soared to 42%, surpassing the NDP's 40% approval rating. The latest Leger survey showed that 42% of decided voters would vote for the UCP if an election was held immediately. This number rose from 35% in March. Executive vice-president of Western Canada for Leger Ian Large said that the latest results showed that the UCP is earning support from individuals on the left and right side of the political spectrum.
The biggest losers of the survey were the NDP and the Wildrose Independence Party, who both lost support in the latest survey. The change is due to individuals who previously wouldn’t consider voting for the UCP because of Kenney are now returning to the Party. The UCP is building substantial momentum in Calgary with Party support sitting at 48% compared to the NDP’s 35%. The poll surveyed 1,000 Albertans.
Who Will Be the Next UCP Leader?
As the leadership race gets closer, more and more people are speculating on who is going to put their name forward. Brian Jean and Danielle Smith are the only two who have made it clear they intend to run in the leadership race. A Leger poll shows that neither Jean nor Smith have strong support among voters. The poll showed that 26% would vote for a Jean-led UCP in the next election and 35% said they would vote for Rachel Notley if Jean was the leader of the UCP. Similarly, 25% said they would vote for the UCP with Smith as leader and 36% would vote for Notley if Smith was the leader of the UCP.
While Jean and Smith are currently the frontrunners with 22% and 18% support respectively, 37% of UCP members are still undecided and 14% said they wanted someone else. The same poll put potential candidate Finance Minister Travis Toews at 5% support. Jason Kenney has announced that he will not be running in the upcoming leadership race. Other potential leadership candidates include Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney, Children’s Services Minister Rebecca Schulz, Government House leader and Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon. The leadership race could be called within the next few weeks.
