The UCP’s Leadership Election Committee decided to grant federal Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner an exemption to enter the party’s leadership race, even as MLAs warned it sets a “dangerous precedent," a source with knowledge of the matter told the Western Standard..As previously reported by the Western Standard, Rempel Garner required the waiver because she doesn’t meet the contest requirements..On Monday night, MLAs were given the opportunity to provide feedback per party rules, which say all leadership candidates must be a UCP member for at least six months, “subject to a waiver being granted by the LEC in consultation with the board and caucus.”.The LEC met at 7 p.m. for about an hour before deciding to give Rempel Garner the exemption, the source said..But two hours earlier, 13 of 17 MLAs who spoke on call hosted by party executives advised against the waiver, saying it creates a "slippery slope," the source said. .Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, Deputy Government House Leader Joseph Schow, Immigration and Labour Minister Kaycee Madu, Service Alberta Minister Nate Glubish, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver, and Associate Red Tape Reduction Minister Tanya Fir voiced their opposition to the exemption..So did MLAs Mickey Amery, Dan Williams, Searle Turton, Grant Hunter, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, Michaela Frey, and Tracy Allard..While defending their position, Glubish said “the rules are the rules," while Allard said Rempel Garner “knows the game” and should therefore know better. Armstrong-Homeniuk said granting the exemption sets a “dangerous precedent,” the source told the Western Standard..Of the 13 MLAs who spoke against granting the exemption, eight have endorsed UCP leadership candidates and former Finance minister Travis Toews. Those are Shandro, Schow, Fir, Allard, Williams, Turton Hunter, and Armstrong-Homeniuk..UCP leadership candidate and former Children's Services minister Rebecca Shulz has the support of Frey, who stood beside Shulz during her campaign launch in Calgary..The source said Rempel Garner door-knocked for some of these candidates and attended their fundraisers and events..“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing on this call," the source said, adding MLAs were making Rempel Garner sound like "a devil." .“Is this really about the rules, or is this because they already have a horse and they're scared of her?”.Just four MLAs were in favour of granting Rempel Garner the waiver, including Glenn van Dijken and Leela Aheer, who is also a leadership candidate. Aheer said the more candidates, the better the race, the source said..UCP MLAs Devinder Toor and Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides were also in favour of the waiver, but said they would support the LEC’s decision..There were 40-50 people on the call, including MLAs, party members, and board of directors. The call lasted about an hour. .Rempel Garner’s membership was short of six months by just two weeks. The MP — who is a founding member of the UCP — hadn’t realized her membership had lapsed until shortly before Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership review, the source said..The UCP does not provide notice when a membership is expiring..“What's the problem here?” the source said. “Let the membership decide if she's worthy of being a leader or not.”.The Western Standard broke the news Rempel Garner was considering a run for the UCP leadership earlier this month, which she confirmed in a post to Twitter last week..UCP members will vote on a new leader and premier on October 6.
The UCP’s Leadership Election Committee decided to grant federal Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner an exemption to enter the party’s leadership race, even as MLAs warned it sets a “dangerous precedent," a source with knowledge of the matter told the Western Standard..As previously reported by the Western Standard, Rempel Garner required the waiver because she doesn’t meet the contest requirements..On Monday night, MLAs were given the opportunity to provide feedback per party rules, which say all leadership candidates must be a UCP member for at least six months, “subject to a waiver being granted by the LEC in consultation with the board and caucus.”.The LEC met at 7 p.m. for about an hour before deciding to give Rempel Garner the exemption, the source said..But two hours earlier, 13 of 17 MLAs who spoke on call hosted by party executives advised against the waiver, saying it creates a "slippery slope," the source said. .Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, Deputy Government House Leader Joseph Schow, Immigration and Labour Minister Kaycee Madu, Service Alberta Minister Nate Glubish, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver, and Associate Red Tape Reduction Minister Tanya Fir voiced their opposition to the exemption..So did MLAs Mickey Amery, Dan Williams, Searle Turton, Grant Hunter, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, Michaela Frey, and Tracy Allard..While defending their position, Glubish said “the rules are the rules," while Allard said Rempel Garner “knows the game” and should therefore know better. Armstrong-Homeniuk said granting the exemption sets a “dangerous precedent,” the source told the Western Standard..Of the 13 MLAs who spoke against granting the exemption, eight have endorsed UCP leadership candidates and former Finance minister Travis Toews. Those are Shandro, Schow, Fir, Allard, Williams, Turton Hunter, and Armstrong-Homeniuk..UCP leadership candidate and former Children's Services minister Rebecca Shulz has the support of Frey, who stood beside Shulz during her campaign launch in Calgary..The source said Rempel Garner door-knocked for some of these candidates and attended their fundraisers and events..“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing on this call," the source said, adding MLAs were making Rempel Garner sound like "a devil." .“Is this really about the rules, or is this because they already have a horse and they're scared of her?”.Just four MLAs were in favour of granting Rempel Garner the waiver, including Glenn van Dijken and Leela Aheer, who is also a leadership candidate. Aheer said the more candidates, the better the race, the source said..UCP MLAs Devinder Toor and Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides were also in favour of the waiver, but said they would support the LEC’s decision..There were 40-50 people on the call, including MLAs, party members, and board of directors. The call lasted about an hour. .Rempel Garner’s membership was short of six months by just two weeks. The MP — who is a founding member of the UCP — hadn’t realized her membership had lapsed until shortly before Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership review, the source said..The UCP does not provide notice when a membership is expiring..“What's the problem here?” the source said. “Let the membership decide if she's worthy of being a leader or not.”.The Western Standard broke the news Rempel Garner was considering a run for the UCP leadership earlier this month, which she confirmed in a post to Twitter last week..UCP members will vote on a new leader and premier on October 6.
