The long weekend brought with it a break from what some would call the shocking provincial politics of last week, but despite the break, a few St. Albert residents wanted to express their thoughts about the premier’s resignation, and they did not hold back.
“I am very excited about the future,” said Keira Larkee, an educational assistant who grew up in St. Albert and who was visiting her family in the city on Monday.
In response to a 51.4-per-cent support tally in his leadership review on May 18, Premier Jason Kenney announced he would step down; both locals and interested parties had comments on his move to walk away from the party.
Larkee said she hopes his resignation will mean an opportunity for more social programs to be brought forward. She said at a time when the most vulnerable in the community needed assistance from the province, the UCP took assistance away.
“Especially during a pandemic, we should be focusing on looking out for the ones who can't really protect themselves ... I think the pandemic has shone a light on how important those programs are,” she said.
Larkee said she thinks people might be seeing that and giving him the trouble he deserves. She is hoping Albertans will see an early election.
Ilario Spagnolo, president for the Morinville-St. Albert United Conservative Party Constituency Association, said he was surprised at the results from the leadership review.
“I thought there'd be more support for the leader ... considering all of the good news that's happening in the province,” he said.
Unemployment has been reduced, said Spagnolo. Debt is under control, the province has been attracting billions in investments, and the energy sector has a new life with the activity of energy transition, he continued.
“When you have that backdrop of all the good news that's going on in the province, I was surprised at the outcome,” he said.
Spagnolo said Kenney was elected with an overwhelming majority. He accomplished 90 per cent of his mandate, but then there was a pandemic and an economic downturn.
“I couldn't imagine being in his shoes for the last couple of years,” he said.
Spagnolo said he can’t speculate for everyone on why the outcome was the way it was, but he said there is still a hangover about how the province dealt with the pandemic.
“I think a lot of members didn't feel that we had enough restrictions, and a lot of members felt we had too many restrictions. It's one of those situations where you just can't make anyone happy. But you do have to make decisions for the overall betterment of individuals, and the overall health care of individuals — it's just one of those no-win situations,” he said.
As for what the split says about the Conservative party itself, Spagnolo said the party is alive and well.
“We had a record number of memberships. We had a government that is firing on all cylinders deciding, the members deciding that [Kenney] wasn't good enough. We've set a very high bar for the leaders in the conservative movement.
“I think it says that grassroots democracy is alive and well,” said Spagnolo.
Spagnolo thinks the next step for the UCP should be to figure out who the next leader of the party will be.
“We need a leadership contest; we need to pick a new leader. All I know is there's legislation that says the next election is May of 2023. And I don't think that should change,” he said.
Oliver, a St. Albert senior who did not want to give his last name, was out for a daily walk around downtown St. Albert on Monday.
Oliver said he thought it was a good idea for Kenney to resign.
“It's time for a change, just like anything else,” he said.
Oliver thinks some of Kenney’s actions from the pandemic are still resonating.
“I don't think he did the best jobs there ... I think we've seen the public isn't happy with him based on the numbers of the leadership review,” he said.
Kelsey Stienwand, an engineer, was preparing to go kayaking along the Sturgeon on Monday afternoon.
Stienwand said it was surprising to see Kenney step down, but the premier really had no other options.
She said an early election would be good for her work, but she can’t speculate on whether that will happen.
“No one knows what's happening with the conservatives,” she said.
NDP St. Albert MLA Marie Renaud said she isn’t terribly surprised Kenney stepped down.
“I think what it demonstrates is this is a deeply divided and dysfunctional government and party. I mean, the party is divided, the MLAs are divided. You know, there's just been endless drama and infighting,” said Renaud.
Renaud said Alberta is in the midst of an acute health-care crisis. Wait times for ambulances are startling and there are around 20 community hospitals across the province that are partially closed, and women can’t deliver their babies close to home.
On top of health care, education is struggling, and inflation is incredibly high, Renaud continued.
“People are struggling ... and yet they're focused on internal power struggles, which is just so dysfunctional at a time when we need real leadership and a focus on Alberta families,” she said.
When asked if she was surprised Kenney would be stepping down, she said, “Well did he?”
“What they say is not necessarily what they do. And that's just one more example of it,” she said.
During a May 19 meeting that came a day after Kenney announced his intention to step down as leader, the UCP caucus had a “vigorous discussion and debate about the future of the party and our government,” said UCP caucus chair Nathan Neudorf in a press statement.
The caucus decided to keep Kenney on as leader until a new leader is chosen.
“We agreed that we must remain united, focused on the best interests of Albertans, and committed to doing the job Albertans elected us to do,” said Neudorf.
The statement read the UCP caucus would be keeping Kenney on as leader until a new leader is chosen, “... the timing of which will be determined by the United Conservative Party,” said Neudorf.
