Editor’s note. Due to a typo, the initial version of the story said the review would be April 6. Sources say the vote will take place April 9..A pay-to-vote leadership review of United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney will be held April 9 in Red Deer, the Western Standard has learned..The UCP board decided not to listen to demands from 22 constituency associations that wanted a review by March at the latest, said a Western Standard source close to the board..The source said the board felt it was “being generous” to the 22 rebel ridings by holding a review in April..Details on how much it will cost to go to the conference are still being worked out, but it will be a system where you have to pay to vote, the source said..Those details are expected to be announced in January..While the board meeting was “friendly,” pro-Kenney factions later held long discussions to plan strategy, said the source..A convention-style review appears to favour Kenney as opposed to a one-vote-per-party-member system as Kenney is famed for his political organizing power..His office came under fire last month for allegedly using money from third-party political action committees (PACs) to send people to the UCP AGM which turned into a Kenney love-fest that left the leader smiling..Kenney denied knowledge of the PAC money..“I’m not involved in third party organizations, but third party political organizations are free, within the law, to be involved in politics,” said Kenney..Prior to the AGM Airdrie-Cochrane UCP MLA Peter Guthrie sent Kenney a letter which said the party was on the verge of collapse. .“Public opinion continues to wane, and we may be at a point where this party cannot be salvaged,” writes Guthrie, in the letter obtained by the Western Standard..“Membership has fallen from 150,000 to less than 10,000 and fundraising is evaporating along with our credibility.”.Much of the UCP grassroots frustration has come on the heels of controversial COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Kenney also brought in a vaccine passport scheme he vowed never to introduce..Another scandal that infuriated UCP members was when the infamous pictures were published of Kenney holding an outdoor dinner on the balcony of the “Sky Palace” in contravention of the government’s of laws, regulations, and guidelines..In April, a UCP MLA told the Western Standard they are “100% certain” Kenney would be the subject of an early party leadership review..“Caucus is in total chaos,” said the MLA, who spoke with the Western Standard on the condition of anonymity..But the expected caucus revolt failed to materialize..At one point the caucus booted MLAs Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes for dissension..Editor’s note. Due to a typo, the initial version of the story said the review would be April 6. Sources say the vote will take place April 9..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Editor’s note. Due to a typo, the initial version of the story said the review would be April 6. Sources say the vote will take place April 9..A pay-to-vote leadership review of United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney will be held April 9 in Red Deer, the Western Standard has learned..The UCP board decided not to listen to demands from 22 constituency associations that wanted a review by March at the latest, said a Western Standard source close to the board..The source said the board felt it was “being generous” to the 22 rebel ridings by holding a review in April..Details on how much it will cost to go to the conference are still being worked out, but it will be a system where you have to pay to vote, the source said..Those details are expected to be announced in January..While the board meeting was “friendly,” pro-Kenney factions later held long discussions to plan strategy, said the source..A convention-style review appears to favour Kenney as opposed to a one-vote-per-party-member system as Kenney is famed for his political organizing power..His office came under fire last month for allegedly using money from third-party political action committees (PACs) to send people to the UCP AGM which turned into a Kenney love-fest that left the leader smiling..Kenney denied knowledge of the PAC money..“I’m not involved in third party organizations, but third party political organizations are free, within the law, to be involved in politics,” said Kenney..Prior to the AGM Airdrie-Cochrane UCP MLA Peter Guthrie sent Kenney a letter which said the party was on the verge of collapse. .“Public opinion continues to wane, and we may be at a point where this party cannot be salvaged,” writes Guthrie, in the letter obtained by the Western Standard..“Membership has fallen from 150,000 to less than 10,000 and fundraising is evaporating along with our credibility.”.Much of the UCP grassroots frustration has come on the heels of controversial COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Kenney also brought in a vaccine passport scheme he vowed never to introduce..Another scandal that infuriated UCP members was when the infamous pictures were published of Kenney holding an outdoor dinner on the balcony of the “Sky Palace” in contravention of the government’s of laws, regulations, and guidelines..In April, a UCP MLA told the Western Standard they are “100% certain” Kenney would be the subject of an early party leadership review..“Caucus is in total chaos,” said the MLA, who spoke with the Western Standard on the condition of anonymity..But the expected caucus revolt failed to materialize..At one point the caucus booted MLAs Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes for dissension..Editor’s note. Due to a typo, the initial version of the story said the review would be April 6. Sources say the vote will take place April 9..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
