No one saw that one coming..Shock waves surely rippled throughout Alberta when Premier Jason Kenney announced he will step down as leader of the United Conservative Party..Do you approve of the current leader? That was the question on the ballot of his helter-skelter leadership review process, during which the rules changed as often as the direction of prairie wind..Speculation on the support Kenney would receive before the announcement that was made — painfully later than expected — ranged from 38% to 70%..Of 34,298 votes cast 17,638 marked yes, 16,660 marked no..That gave Kenney .4% more than the 50% plus one bar he set to stay on, enough not to automatically trigger a leadership election..It’s hardly a margin to inspire confidence in his ability to move forward as leader..No doubt, everyone expected Kenney to dig his heels in and command everyone to accept the slim majority and fall in line. .That’s how he’s governed. .Kenney often said he welcomed open debate — but didn’t support it..That authoritarian style of rule and dismissal of the grassroots is what contributed to getting him a paltry 51.4% support and a deeply fractured party.Kenney could have hung on, but he made the right decision — as difficult as it must have been for a politician who has never lost a political fight — for the sake of the party and Albertans..He made his announcement with dignity..“The result is not what I hoped for,” said Kenney on the heels of the results being announced..“Well, while 51% of the vote passes the constitutional threshold of the majority, it clearly is not adequate support to continue on as leader and that is why tonight I've informed the president of the party of my intention to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party.”.“I'm sorry, but friends, I truly believe that we need to move forward,” said Kenney..He urged the UCP to get past its division..He also urged all members to respect the results..Kenney listed his accomplishments — including reuniting the free enterprise movement in Alberta, winning the largest 63-seat electoral mandate, “delivering on nearly 90% of our election commitments,” and so on..With Kenney at the helm, an NDP victory in the 2023 provincial election would have been likely..So now what?.“Over a year ago, I asked Jason Kenney to resign. It’s good to see that has now happened,” said Independent MLA Todd Loewen, who Kenney booted from UCP caucus for criticizing his leadership..“Now we need to get things back on track in Alberta. Unity is possible, but we need to make sure we don’t end up in this situation again.”.“The most important thing is to build trust for Albertans. The UCP has a chance to do that now. But there are important decisions that need to be made and a new direction charted for this party.”.The UCP caucus is scheduled to meet Thursday morning..Chestermere-Strathmore MLA Leela Aheer accurately stated that “most Albertans lost faith in the failed leadership of Premier Kenney,” on a Facebook post..“As a two-term MLA and former minister I have deep concerns about the conduct of the premier and his inner circle,” wrote Aheer..“The culture of cronyism, bullying, and hypocrisy is stronger now than ever.”.“Alberta is more than a Jason Kenney province, and if the UCP is to succeed moving forwards, it needs to become more than a Jason Kenney party.”.Well, now it will be..Kenney rode to victory crisscrossing the province in a blue truck..Now the UCP, desperately needs someone to come riding in on a white horse to salvage the damaged and divided party.
