When the party changed to mail-in voting it extended the whole drama for another month
Author of the article: Don Braid • Calgary Herald
Publishing date: Apr 19, 2022
The Alberta legislature on Nov. 5, 2020.
PHOTO BY IAN KUCERAK /Postmedia, file
As the legislature reopened Tuesday, criticism of Premier Jason Kenney came right from the heart of his own government.
It was dramatic and unexpected. Even some of Kenney’s most ardent opponents were surprised.
“Some say unity requires you to follow the leader,” UCP MLA Jason Stephan said in a formal member’s statement before the daily question period
“But Mr. Speaker, what if you’re being led over a cliff? Should you follow like a lemming? No.”
The place fell into deep silence followed by some applause, even on the government side.
Stephan was one of the seven who stood on the legislature steps after the party moved from in-person to mail-in voting, demanding that Kenney switch back or resign.
That was striking. But taking the leadership struggle to the legislature floor is another level entirely.
The UCP vote is the business of a political party, and thus not open for legislature discussion.
But Stephan adroitly found a way around the rule.
The MLA for Red Deer-South didn’t mention the premier by name, or the party. He talked about unity, trust, cheating and leadership.
But everybody knew what he was getting at.
As the legislature reopened Tuesday, criticism of Premier Jason Kenney came right from the heart of his own government.
It was dramatic and unexpected. Even some of Kenney’s most ardent opponents were surprised.
“Some say unity requires you to follow the leader,” UCP MLA Jason Stephan said in a formal member’s statement before the daily question period
“But Mr. Speaker, what if you’re being led over a cliff? Should you follow like a lemming? No.”
The place fell into deep silence followed by some applause, even on the government side.
Stephan was one of the seven who stood on the legislature steps after the party moved from in-person to mail-in voting, demanding that Kenney switch back or resign.
That was striking. But taking the leadership struggle to the legislature floor is another level entirely.
The UCP vote is the business of a political party, and thus not open for legislature discussion.
But Stephan adroitly found a way around the rule.
The MLA for Red Deer-South didn’t mention the premier by name, or the party. He talked about unity, trust, cheating and leadership.
But everybody knew what he was getting at.
United Conservative Party Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan (at podium), several UCP constituency association presidents, and several MLAs, speak about their discontent with recently announced changes to the UCP Special General Meeting voting rules during a press conference held below Premier Jason Kenney’s office at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton, on Thursday March 24, 2022.
PHOTO BY DAVID BLOOM /Postmedia
Stephan hit on what I believe has been Kenney’s big mistake with the party — his contention that the UCP is threatened “by lunatics who want to take over the asylum.”
Mental-health advocates weren’t the only ones appalled by that comment. Kenney has convinced many reasonable UCP members that he thinks they’re bigots and racists just because they oppose him.
Kenney also wraps himself in the mantle of party unity, saying it will collapse without him.
Stephan tackled all that when he told the house: “There is too much division. Albertans need more unity.
“Some say, of course we can have unity, if only you will agree with me.
“That’s not unity.
“What about labelling and calling people names? Is that going to produce unity? No.
“If you’re a member of a team and there is cheating, are you supposed to look the other way for the sake of unity?
“No. Winning does not justify cheating.”
Listeners could only take that as a reference to the leadership race, and the ensuing mistrust over the mail-in leadership vote.
Stephan told me afterward that Kenney only switched to mail-in voting because he knew he was about to lose
“Of that I have no doubt. As a political party, you have hit the jackpot when 15,000 people are going to come to the biggest meeting in Alberta history. Why would you cancel it?”
Regarding his speech, Stephan said, “I just want the public to have faith in the integrity of government. I want our integrity to be trusted. I did not run to be part of a government that is not trusted.”
Concluding his statement in the legislature, he said, “unity without integrity makes unity unvirtuous. Unity cannot be forced or coerced.
“But what if the truth angers some? Should we forsake truth for the sake of unity? No.
“Can we sow disunity and expect to reap unity? No.”
Kenney wasn’t in the house to hear all that. But he’ll have to wonder what’s coming next.
When the party changed to mail-in voting it extended the whole drama for another month.
All return votes have to be received by May 11, so there’s still nearly three weeks more of this to come.
Kenney has his own campaign team on the ground. Many of his staffers are on unpaid leave to work full-time on securing a positive vote.
Dissident riding groups are still active, now calling for the resignations of both the party president and executive director.
And Jason Stephan is not the only MLA with a lot more to say.
Stephan hit on what I believe has been Kenney’s big mistake with the party — his contention that the UCP is threatened “by lunatics who want to take over the asylum.”
Mental-health advocates weren’t the only ones appalled by that comment. Kenney has convinced many reasonable UCP members that he thinks they’re bigots and racists just because they oppose him.
Kenney also wraps himself in the mantle of party unity, saying it will collapse without him.
Stephan tackled all that when he told the house: “There is too much division. Albertans need more unity.
“Some say, of course we can have unity, if only you will agree with me.
“That’s not unity.
“What about labelling and calling people names? Is that going to produce unity? No.
“If you’re a member of a team and there is cheating, are you supposed to look the other way for the sake of unity?
“No. Winning does not justify cheating.”
Listeners could only take that as a reference to the leadership race, and the ensuing mistrust over the mail-in leadership vote.
Stephan told me afterward that Kenney only switched to mail-in voting because he knew he was about to lose
“Of that I have no doubt. As a political party, you have hit the jackpot when 15,000 people are going to come to the biggest meeting in Alberta history. Why would you cancel it?”
Regarding his speech, Stephan said, “I just want the public to have faith in the integrity of government. I want our integrity to be trusted. I did not run to be part of a government that is not trusted.”
Concluding his statement in the legislature, he said, “unity without integrity makes unity unvirtuous. Unity cannot be forced or coerced.
“But what if the truth angers some? Should we forsake truth for the sake of unity? No.
“Can we sow disunity and expect to reap unity? No.”
Kenney wasn’t in the house to hear all that. But he’ll have to wonder what’s coming next.
When the party changed to mail-in voting it extended the whole drama for another month.
All return votes have to be received by May 11, so there’s still nearly three weeks more of this to come.
Kenney has his own campaign team on the ground. Many of his staffers are on unpaid leave to work full-time on securing a positive vote.
Dissident riding groups are still active, now calling for the resignations of both the party president and executive director.
And Jason Stephan is not the only MLA with a lot more to say.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald.
Twitter: @DonBraid
Facebook: Don Braid Politics
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