Danielle Smith promises party unity after 1st caucus meeting

Alberta’s incoming premier and United Conservative Party caucus members insist they are in lockstep, despite a leadership race revealing a party split between competing visions.

Danielle Smith captured nearly 54 per cent of members’ votes on a sixth ballot of the leadership contest Thursday. On Friday morning, she spent an hour meeting with about 60 caucus members in Calgary.

“There’s a lot of harm that was caused over the last two-and-a-half years,” Smith said while standing on the steps of the McDougall Centre in Calgary, flanked by her six leadership opponents.

Cuts to health care and education are not in her plans, Smith said, adding that students need extra support and Albertans need funds for mental health support.

Smith will soon share more about the UCP government’s plans, once she becomes premier at swearing-in ceremony in Edmonton on Oct. 11, she said.

Smith needs legislature seat

Smith, who left politics in 2014, now needs a seat in the legislature.

On Friday, Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Frey said she had resigned her seat and encouraged Smith to seek election there.

Smith will meet with the riding’s constituency association Saturday, to see if they would support that move, she told reporters in Calgary.

However, there is already a vacant seat in Calgary-Elbow, where former cabinet minister Doug Schweitzer resigned last month.

While on CBC’s Power and Politics Friday afternoon, Smith said she will call only one byelection, to save money.

Smith wants to run in a rural riding, to emphasize the importance of rural representation, she said. The Brooks-Medicine Hat constituency includes both cities in its name.

Smith hopes to be sitting in the legislature by the end of November, where she would table her signature Alberta Sovereignty Act, she said.

The Opposition NDP has said it would be undemocratic of Smith to run in another byelection, while leaving Calgary-Elbow without a representative in the legislature.

New cabinet to be announced Oct. 21

Smith has summoned the existing UCP cabinet to Edmonton, where she’s pledged to meet individually with ministers Tuesday. She also asked them, however, to refrain from making any decisions or announcements until she announces a new cabinet on Oct. 21.

She’s also invited MLAs and their partners to a caucus retreat in Sylvan Lake, Alta., later this month. It will be an opportunity to begin discussing the wording of the sovereignty act, she said.

The proposed legislation could be a challenge to cementing that professed unity, as several cabinet ministers have said they couldn’t vote in favour of such a bill as described.

Smith has said it would allow the legislature to pass a motion to refuse to enforce federal rules that counter Alberta’s interests. Some legal scholars say that’s unconstitutional.

MLAs — including Smith’s leadership rivals — downplayed their previously expressed concerns Friday, saying Smith has pledged to consult caucus members on the details of the act.

Smith defeated former finance minister Travis Toews on the final ballot. On Friday, he was noncommittal about whether he’d seek re-election in 2023, and avoided saying whether he’d serve in a Smith cabinet.

After months of infighting, UCP MLAs redirected their ire back onto the NDP.

“The only people who should be concerned this morning are the NDP,” Finance Minister Jason Nixon said.

The next fixed provincial election date in Alberta is May 29, 2023.

Smith has said she intends to wait until then before dropping the writ.

“You want a rallying cry? You put an election in front of a group of people,” said Leela Aheer, a UCP MLA and an unsuccessful leadership candidate.

NDP warns of chaos under Smith’s reign

The NDP wasted no time attempting to capitalize on UCP members selecting Smith as their new leader.

Party leader Rachel Notley, while gathered with 16 NDP candidates by the North Saskatchewan River Friday morning, said Albertans are about to experience seven months of “chaos, costs and conflict” under Smith.

“If you’re someone who watched the results last night, and woke up feeling like you just don’t have a voice in this province any more, I want to speak to you, directly,” Notley said.

She pitched her vision of a government that would stabilize the health-care system, bring cost relief to Alberta families and develop a more diversified economy.

© Janet French/CBC While gathered with 16 NDP candidates Friday, Opposition NDP leader Rachel Notley said Albertans who feel disenfranchised by a UCP led by Danielle Smith should consider supporting her party.

As of Friday afternoon, the NDP had nominated candidates for the provincial election in 54 of Alberta’s 87 ridings.

The UCP had confirmed 36 candidates. The Alberta Party had three.

Alberta Party leader Barry Morishita said Friday he will challenge Smith in a Brooks-Medicine Hat byelection, should she call one there.

He also invited “progressive-minded, principled MLAs,” who are disenchanted with the outcome of the leadership contest, to consider a switch to his party.