NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES FOR KENNEY
Premier Jason Kenney faces growing unrest inside the UCP with letter calling for his resignation
Duration: 02:08
A letter is circulating amongst grassroots members of the United Conservative Party, demanding Premier jason Kenney immediately resign as party leader over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and personal unpopularity. Tom Vernon reports.
Global News
Letter by UCP members calls on Jason Kenney to resign as premier and party leader
On Friday, first quarter fundraising numbers were released in Alberta, showing that the New Democrats, led by former premier Rachel Notley, took in nearly $1.2 million between January and end of March. The UCP, on the other hand, took in just shy of $600,000.
Tyler Dawson
Tyler Dawson
POSTMEDIA
4/23/2021
The health restrictions are unpopular in some parts of Alberta, particularly rural and small-town Alberta, where the crush of COVID cases is less visible, and the political culture skews more conservative than in the cities.
ThinkHQ polling from November 2020, done as newer restrictions were coming in to address the pandemic’s second wave, showed only nine per cent of Albertans in Edmonton and Calgary felt the restrictions went too far.
In north, central and southern Alberta — areas the UCP generally dominates — about 20 per cent felt they went too far.
As of Thursday, there were more than 19,000 active COVID-19 cases in the province, with more than 500 people in hospital, including 116 in intensive care. More than 2,000 Albertans have died over the course of the pandemic.
But there has been outright defiance of public health measures in Alberta, with some restaurants, such as the Whistle Stop Café in Mirror, Alta., or the the GraceLife Church near Edmonton, refusing to close their doors.
The Alberta legislature, on April 12, saw a protest that brought together right-wing protestors, and those with genuine angst over the economic damage caused by ongoing restrictions, demanding the province be re-opened.
Kenney will likely face a leadership review in 2022, at the party’s annual general meeting, some six months before the next provincial election. The latest letter, though, said “it has become increasingly clear to us that you will not allow a proper review of your leadership in a timely manner.”
“Therefore, we realize the time for discussing your leadership has come to an end,” the letter says.
But if enough constituency associations climb on the bandwagon, that review could happen any time. “Just the fact that you’re having one, even if you win it, you’re already damaged,” said Bratt.
With files from the Calgary Herald
• Email: tdawson@postmedia.com | Twitter: tylerrdawson
© Provided by National Post Premier Jason Kenney posted this photo to his Twitter account of him receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Edmonton.
EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who’s been grappling with internal party dissent over his government’s COVID-19 restrictions, is now facing a letter campaign among the party’s grassroots calling for him to abandon the premier’s office.
The letter, which began circulating a few weeks ago, demands Kenney resign as premier and leader of the United Conservative Party. It’s the latest in a series of challenges Kenney has faced since he swept to power in 2019 on promises to take on the federal government and restore Alberta’s economic prosperity.
Instead, he’s had to grapple with a devastating pandemic and a troublesome caucus that has undermined his ability to sell the government’s pandemic message.
Several members of his caucus drew rebuke for travelling out-of-province around Christmas at the height of the pandemic’s second wave. Since then, multiple MLAs have publicly opposed Kenney’s COVID measures, he’s faced calls for a review of his leadership, and now, a call to step aside entirely.
The new letter hasn’t been officially released. It’s not known how many people have signed, will sign, or who they might be. Postmedia received a copy of the template, with no signatories. It says, while requesting Kenney’s “immediate resignation as leader of the party and as Premier of Alberta,” that the signatories are members of UCP constituency association boards or recent members.
“Furthermore, we do not believe you have the moral authority or trustworthiness to lead this party into the next election or to continue to deliver on important conservative priorities,” the letter says.
EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who’s been grappling with internal party dissent over his government’s COVID-19 restrictions, is now facing a letter campaign among the party’s grassroots calling for him to abandon the premier’s office.
The letter, which began circulating a few weeks ago, demands Kenney resign as premier and leader of the United Conservative Party. It’s the latest in a series of challenges Kenney has faced since he swept to power in 2019 on promises to take on the federal government and restore Alberta’s economic prosperity.
Instead, he’s had to grapple with a devastating pandemic and a troublesome caucus that has undermined his ability to sell the government’s pandemic message.
Several members of his caucus drew rebuke for travelling out-of-province around Christmas at the height of the pandemic’s second wave. Since then, multiple MLAs have publicly opposed Kenney’s COVID measures, he’s faced calls for a review of his leadership, and now, a call to step aside entirely.
The new letter hasn’t been officially released. It’s not known how many people have signed, will sign, or who they might be. Postmedia received a copy of the template, with no signatories. It says, while requesting Kenney’s “immediate resignation as leader of the party and as Premier of Alberta,” that the signatories are members of UCP constituency association boards or recent members.
“Furthermore, we do not believe you have the moral authority or trustworthiness to lead this party into the next election or to continue to deliver on important conservative priorities,” the letter says.
 |
| JUST THE FACTS MA'AM |
On Friday, first quarter fundraising numbers were released in Alberta, showing that the New Democrats, led by former premier Rachel Notley, took in nearly $1.2 million between January and end of March. The UCP, on the other hand, took in just shy of $600,000.
“Conservative parties should always lead on fundraising and so, if you’ve got the NDP either close to or tieing or slightly ahead, that’s significant,” said Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University. “But having a lead of this size? That’s just another data point of the problems that are going on with the UCP.”
The Calgary Herald, quoting a Kenney spokesman, reported, “the premier isn’t going anywhere.”
Ryan Becker, president of the UCP, said in a statement that tens of thousands of party members supported Kenney for leadership and millions voted for him to become premier.
“Signatures on a piece of paper from a largely anonymous small few with their own agendas does not and will not supersede the rules and procedures that govern our party and the will of tens of thousands of our members and Alberta voters,” Becker said.
The letter comes just weeks after the latest round of public health restrictions, which included the closure of gyms, and tighter restrictions on shopping, indoor dining, and gatherings. These measures, announced on April 6, prompted 17 members of the legislature — about one-quarter of Kenney’s 63 MLAs — to speak out against them, saying further lockdowns were not the best policy.
If the letter currently circulating gets several dozen signatures — 90 is one of the numbers floating around — it’s a question of how many ridings are represented, Bratt said. “Is that widespread discontent?” he asked.
“Conservative parties should always lead on fundraising and so, if you’ve got the NDP either close to or tieing or slightly ahead, that’s significant,” said Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University. “But having a lead of this size? That’s just another data point of the problems that are going on with the UCP.”
The Calgary Herald, quoting a Kenney spokesman, reported, “the premier isn’t going anywhere.”
Ryan Becker, president of the UCP, said in a statement that tens of thousands of party members supported Kenney for leadership and millions voted for him to become premier.
“Signatures on a piece of paper from a largely anonymous small few with their own agendas does not and will not supersede the rules and procedures that govern our party and the will of tens of thousands of our members and Alberta voters,” Becker said.
The letter comes just weeks after the latest round of public health restrictions, which included the closure of gyms, and tighter restrictions on shopping, indoor dining, and gatherings. These measures, announced on April 6, prompted 17 members of the legislature — about one-quarter of Kenney’s 63 MLAs — to speak out against them, saying further lockdowns were not the best policy.
If the letter currently circulating gets several dozen signatures — 90 is one of the numbers floating around — it’s a question of how many ridings are represented, Bratt said. “Is that widespread discontent?” he asked.
The health restrictions are unpopular in some parts of Alberta, particularly rural and small-town Alberta, where the crush of COVID cases is less visible, and the political culture skews more conservative than in the cities.
ThinkHQ polling from November 2020, done as newer restrictions were coming in to address the pandemic’s second wave, showed only nine per cent of Albertans in Edmonton and Calgary felt the restrictions went too far.
In north, central and southern Alberta — areas the UCP generally dominates — about 20 per cent felt they went too far.
As of Thursday, there were more than 19,000 active COVID-19 cases in the province, with more than 500 people in hospital, including 116 in intensive care. More than 2,000 Albertans have died over the course of the pandemic.
But there has been outright defiance of public health measures in Alberta, with some restaurants, such as the Whistle Stop Café in Mirror, Alta., or the the GraceLife Church near Edmonton, refusing to close their doors.
The Alberta legislature, on April 12, saw a protest that brought together right-wing protestors, and those with genuine angst over the economic damage caused by ongoing restrictions, demanding the province be re-opened.
Kenney will likely face a leadership review in 2022, at the party’s annual general meeting, some six months before the next provincial election. The latest letter, though, said “it has become increasingly clear to us that you will not allow a proper review of your leadership in a timely manner.”
“Therefore, we realize the time for discussing your leadership has come to an end,” the letter says.
But if enough constituency associations climb on the bandwagon, that review could happen any time. “Just the fact that you’re having one, even if you win it, you’re already damaged,” said Bratt.
With files from the Calgary Herald
• Email: tdawson@postmedia.com | Twitter: tylerrdawson
No comments:
Post a Comment