Doug Horner resigned as deputy premier and minister of advanced education and technology early Friday morning to run as a candidate in the upcoming Tory leadership race.
“I did this after a great deal of soul searching and a lot of discussion with my family, my friends and my supporters,” Horner said Friday at a news conference in Edmonton.
With Friday’s announcement, Horner joins Ted Morton, who resigned as finance minister last month, also to run in the leadership race.
Horner will continue to fulfil his role as MLA for Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert.
“I believe that we need to emphasize what it means to be a Progressive Conservative. We need to be and we should be proud to be a member of our party,” Horner said.
Horner said the province needs to stake its ground as a leader in health care, education, research and the environment.
“We need to invest in our people and our infrastructure to continue to build on the solid foundation that we have,” he said.
Horner said his goal was to unite Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives around common goals, principles, values and beliefs.
“Progressive Conservatives are passionate about where Alberta can be, we’re passionate about the future, we’re compassionate about those in need, we understand what it means to make an investment in the future, for future returns and we understand fiscal responsibility,” he said.
“It’s time to turn the headlines about internal party issues into headlines about Alberta leading the way. That’s my goal.”
Horner would not comment on his competitor Morton, saying only that he will focus on his vision for the province.
He also shot down arguments the next premier would likely hail from the Calgary area.
“This is the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. Where I lay my head down to sleep is probably not as big an issue as what I do as leader of the party,” said Horner, adding that he has resided all over the province, including Calgary.
Last week Premier Ed Stelmach, who will officially step down in September, said he wants all candidates vying for the leadership position to disclose their financial backers.
Horner said he is prepared to follow whatever rules the party comes up with.
“I’m assuming that the party is going to ask us to do that so I’m fully prepared to do that,” he said.
“They should be disclosed.”
Horner also discussed his decision to run for premier now and not during the last leadership race in 2006.
“We’ve seen a lot of headlines about internal party issues and not enough headlines about where Alberta needs to be,” he said.
“I feel very strongly that Alberta has something to offer not only Canada but the world and it’s time we started taking steps towards that and it’s time we started defining what Progressive Conservative is and the party can move forward in a unified way.”
Horner said he thinks there will be a long list of candidates for the upcoming leadership race.
Other MLAs rumoured to be considering the leadership position are Justice Minister Alison Redford and Gary Mar, a former cabinet minister who is now Alberta’s envoy in Washington.
