Photo credit" The Canadian Press

By Curtis Galbraith

Alberta Politics

Kenney stepping down as UCP leader

May 18, 2022 | 7:34 PM

Jason Kenney will step down as leader of the United Conservative Party.

He made the announcement after the results of a leadership vote were announced Wednesday night

Of the 34,298 ballots cast asking party members if they approved of the current leader; 51.4 per cent said yes, 48.6 per cent said no.

Kenney told supporters in Calgary the result was not he hoped for or expected.

“While 51 per cent of the vote passes the constitutional threshold of a majority, it clearly is not adequate support to continue on as leader.”

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“That is why tonight (Wednesday night), I have informed the president of the party of my intention to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party.”

Kenney says the party “needs to move forward united” and “put the past behind us,” adding the past two years have been “deeply divisive” for the province, the party, and the UCP caucus.

“But it is my fervent hope that in the months to come, we all move on past the division of COVID… and disappointing as this result is for me, I am incredibly proud of the work this team has done.”

Kenney says that work includes what he calls reuniting the free enterprise movement in Alberta politics.

“We won the largest electoral mandate in our province’s history. We inherited profound fiscal and economic challenges and then we went through three once-in-a-century crises: the largest public health crisis in a century, the largest collapse of the world economy in nearly a century and (for) the first time ever, we experienced negative oil prices.”

Kenney touted his government’s record by talking about balancing the budget and leading the country in economic growth.

Kenney also thanked the more than 34,000 party members who voted, the volunteers and those who supported him.

It is not yet clear when a new leader will be chosen. Kenney says he recommended to the party board that leadership election take place “in a timely fashion ” something he says would “clear the air.”