By Curtis Galbraith

UCP Leadership

Smith wins UCP leadership

Oct 6, 2022 | 9:10 PM

Danielle Smith has won the leadership race for the United Conservative Party and will replace Jason Kenney as Premier of Alberta.

“I’m back!” Smith declared at the start of her victory speech.

Smith captured 53.77 per cent of the vote after six rounds of counting Thursday night.

“It is time for Alberta to take its place as a senior partner in building a strong and unified Canada. No longer will Alberta ask permission from Ottawa to be prosperous and free.”

Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA and former Minister of Finance Travis Toews finished second with 46.23 per cent.

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Smith thanked Toews in her speech “for his integrity and for leading the charge in bringing our province’s budget back to surplus from the brink of disaster under Rachel Notley’s NDP.”

There were six rounds of voting with the last place candidate being dropped after each round and their votes being redistributed under the party’s ranked ballot system.

Central Peace-Notley MLA Todd Loewen was dropped after the third vote count after getting 7.8 per cent of the vote.

Smith also thanked Loewen.

“Thank you so much for reminding us that MLAs are the voice of the people in government not the government’s mouthpiece to the people.”

Smith announced the UCP caucus has voted to bring Loewen back into caucus after he had been sitting as an Independent after getting kicked out of caucus for criticizing Kenney.

Also, during her speech, Smith promised to “reform the dysfunction of Alberta Health Services and repair our broken EMS services.”

“That also means repairing our relationship with nurses and doctors. It means replacing managers with front-line staff. It means attracting additional health professionals from around the world.”

Smith also said it is “a lie” to say her proposed Sovereignty Act is a step towards Alberta leaving “our beloved Canada.”

“What Albertans want is for our province and all provinces to have our rights under the constitution of Canada protected and respected by an increasingly hostile Ottawa regime that seeks to control every aspect of our lives.”

Smith invited people from other parts of Canada to work with Alberta to “build the strong, prosperous and unified Canada that we know we can be.”

Smith will be sworn in as the next Premier of Alberta on Tuesday.

updated from a previous version.