Here’s what politicians, experts — and the other Jason Kenney — are saying about the Alberta premier stepping down
Kenney #Kenney
EDMONTON—Former colleagues, fellow politicians and observers in Alberta and across Canada reacted with shock and uncertainty Wednesday night after Jason Kenney announced he would be stepping down as leader of the governing United Conservative Party.
It’s been five years since Kenney came to Alberta, following a long stint in federal politics, in what would become a successful bid to unite the province’s right-wing, merging the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties into one. He led the combined UCP to a majority victory against the NDP in 2019.
One political pundit characterized Kenney’s resignation speech as a display of “a Jason Kenney we have not seen.”
“That’s the most emotion I’ve seen him display, even through COVID,” said Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University.
“As we heard those first words come out of this mouth, it struck me that he might actually stop being the tenacious, ‘Refuse to say die’ Jason Kenney. He might actually accept defeat. And indeed that is what he has done.”
The reaction from politicians of all stripes was swift and largely gracious; Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley, who would have been Kenney’s opponent in the next provincial election, thanked Kenney for his service.
“There are obviously many things about which we don’t agree, but that doesn’t negate the time and sacrifice that goes into taking on the role of Premier,” Notley tweeted.
“The work is never easy. The days are long and often difficult, as I’m sure today is. I wish Jason the best,” she added.
Others who thanked Kenney for his service include Premier Scott Moe of Saskatchewan, Christy Clark, former premier of British Columbia, and former MP and federal Conservative leader Rona Ambrose.
There were some who were seemed pleased by the result — former Toronto mayor David Miller said Kenney’s legacy would be tarnished by his response to COVID-19 outbreaks at meat-packing plants in Alberta.
Back on the floor of the special general meeting where Kenney announced he would step down, for some, there was hope that Kenney’s exit will allow the party to move past its internal divisions.
“We are united in the fact that …. Albertans’ priorities are the most important priorities for all of us and we’re going to continue to make Albertans’ priorities come first,” said Whitney Issik, the MLA for Calgary-Glenmore and chief government whip.
She was flanked by Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver,
who declined to answer questions but said that things were “a little weird.”
Kenney’s departure from Alberta’s top political job was also noticed south of the border by two Americans whose Twitter handles have led to some unfortunate interactions — the other Jason Kenney and Erin O’Toole in the United States.
It was only this last week that Jason Kenney of Virginia, who has the Twitter handle of @jasonkenney, got to meet Kenney of Alberta, which the premier’s account tweeted.
Virginia Kenney’s Twitter presence has been a running joke in Alberta Twitter circles. Over time, he started to comment on Alberta political matters and grew a following.
He seemed sad his days of adjacent fame were over.
“Well dang,” he tweeted.
But he soon found he wasn’t alone.
“I am here if you need a shoulder…” was the response from @ErinOtoole1, of Colorado.
Williams, the political scientist, said she was “very surprised” at Kenney’s pledge to step down because he had previously said a 50-plus-one per cent vote would be enough for him to stay on.
But she said when you look at the actual numbers, he was only about 600 votes ahead of those who had voted against him.
“That’s not a vote of confidence. It’s not going to stop the divisions, the calls for his resignation are going to grow, not diminish. I just think he saw the future — that he just did not have anything like the mandate he needed to go forward,” Williams said.
She said she’ll be interested to see how long he stays on as MLA — she suspects it may not be long before he resigns.
There’s even been speculation that Kenney could run for the new leadership race, Williams noted, as he has not explicitly ruled it out.
“Some people say it’s against the UCP bylaws. Others say they can’t find that prohibition. Who knows? He might rethink tomorrow and say, ‘Look, I’m looking at the field of candidates. Nobody’s as good as me. I want a leadership vote.’”
Williams acknowledged that, given how Wednesday night played out, Kenney running again seems unlikely.
Kenney’s demise as Alberta premier had to do with more than his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams said.
“It was much more than COVID policy. It was the style of leadership, it was the betrayal of promises … to treatment of health-care workers during a pandemic, the combative stance he took with anyone that disagreed with him,” Williams said. “I think it would have been a challenge for him even without the pandemic, but that just exploded the fractures.”
Williams said she believes Kenney’s political career is done, but that she expects that he might enter another area of policy or the private sector.
What does this all mean for Alberta? It’s still hard to say. Williams said the new leader will have a tall order in uniting the divided factions of the UCP before the next provincial election.
One of the people who has expressed interest in that role is former Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith. Smith issued a statement thanking Kenney for his service and his “historic contribution to uniting the right in Alberta.”
Smith, who announced a return to politics in March after a seven-year hiatus, has said she would be interested in putting her name forward for the leadership race.
She said the UCP is “is hungry for a leader that will be responsive and fight for the interests of Alberta.”
Williams said Smith and Brian Jean, currently an MLA and the last leader of the Wildrose Party before its merger into the UCP, will appeal to the party’s right flank, while current UCP ministers and Doug Schweitzer and Travis Toews may put their names forward as more centrist candidates.
UCP caucus members are expected to vote on an interim leader Thursday.
With files from Alex Boyd
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