Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan among UCP members demanding Premier Kenney resign over vote changes

It was announced on March 23 that the April 9 vote for or against Jason Kenney remaining on as party leader would take place virtually.

It was scheduled, however, to be held at the Cambridge Hotel in Red Deer, but UCP president Cynthia Moore says a massive surge in registrants meant that venue wouldn’t be sufficient.

The group in Edmonton Thursday questioned why the vote wasn’t simply moved to Red Deer’s Westerner Park.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen too much division and too much contention over the past two years. We don’t want any of that. We need to unite,” Stephan told a scrum of reporters. “Labeling individuals and misrepresenting them, or labeling entire groups by the actions of a few is not right.”

Stephan reiterated that Kenney should do what he knows is right and in the best interest of the party.

“There are some wonderful things the government is doing, but we want to restore the confidence and trust of Albertans,” said Stephan, who was asked about previously ousted from caucus MLA Todd Loewen, who too spoke out against the premier.

“He is a great man I really appreciate.”

Stephan was then asked if he expects to stay in caucus.

“That’ll be for caucus to decide,” he stated.

Premier Kenney’s leadership campaign shared a statement with rdnewsNOW following the press conference.

“It’s surprising to hear certain local constituency presidents who claim to value grassroots democracy criticizing a move by the party executive to make it easier for members to vote,” writes Harrison Fleming, the campaign’s official spokesperson. “We are pleased that more than 55,000 UCP members will have an equal, fair, and safe opportunity to cast their ballots and have their say on the future of the party.”

The folks speaking at the Legislature, which also included former UCP-turned-independent MLAs Drew Barnes and Loewen, as well as current UCP MLAs Angela Pitt, Dave Hanson and Peter Guthrie, delivered even more specific demands.

The group wants to see the entire UCP board resign within five business days, if they don’t agree to return the leadership vote to its original in-person format.

“They have betrayed the rules and they have betrayed UCP members,” said Rob Smith, Olds-Didsbury-Three-Hills constituency association president. “Betrayal leads to distrust and you have shaken Albertans’ trust in the UCP.”

Smith claimed that the group was actually speaking on behalf of three or four dozen constituency associations across Alberta.

Today’s news comes amid a burgeoning battle between Kenney and former UCP leadership candidate Brian Jean, who also formerly led the Wildrose Party. That party merged with the Progressive Conservatives to form the UCP in 2018, before Jean and Kenney went head-to-head for the right to steer the ship.

Jean is yet to be sworn in after winning a by-election in Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche earlier this month, but has made his intentions clear.

“As I am sure you can imagine, I have a particular interest in seeing that the UCP’s upcoming special general meeting is conducted to the highest standards of integrity,” Jean said in a statement earlier this week. “My concerns are with things outside of the returning officer’s control.”

Jean wants an auditor overseeing membership registration and sales, adding that he is concerned people will manage to circumvent the Saturday cutoff for memberships and pad the numbers.

He said too that there shouldn’t be any late voting rule changes.

No matter the format, Kenney requires more than 50 per cent of voter support to remain leader.

The UCP said Thursday that the results of the leadership election will be announced by May 18. Ballots will be mailed out after April 9 and must be received by May 11.

(With files from the Canadian Press)

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan among UCP members demanding Premier Kenney resign over vote changes

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