The Western Standard has multiple sources inside the ongoing UCP Caucus meeting that started at 12:30 pm MST. Check back here for live updates..12:25 pm: Western Standard is informed a UCP virtual caucus meeting is about to start with an expectation that up to four MLAs will be expelled. No agenda is presented..12:45 pm: Source tellsthe Western Standard the meeting began with a discussion about leaks from caucus meetings, mostly to the Western Standard. Discussion focused around leak of story that Alberta Premier Jason Kenney told the caucus, “If they are our base, I want a new base,” in reference to attendees of the rogue rodeo in Bowden, AB..1:52 pm: Source tells the Western Standard the story about the UCP caucus discussing leaks to the Western Standard, is now being discussed in the caucus..2:20 pm: Sources tell the Western Standard that UCP Whip and Calgary West MLA Mike Ellis gave an “executioner’s speech” about the need to expel MLAs Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes from the caucus..2:25 pm: Sources say Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie moved a motion to expel Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes from the caucus..2:40 pm: Sources tell the Western Standard most MLAs are speaking against the motion to expel Loewen and Barnes..2:45 pm: One source says that the motion to expel Loewen and Barnes may fail..2:50 pm: Sources say the only MLAs thus far to speak in favour of expelling Loewen and Barnes are Health Minister Tyler Shandro, Transportation Minister Ric McIver, Whip Mike Ellis, and MLA Peter Guthrie..3:50 pm: A source says discussion in caucus has turned back toward ongoing leaks to the Western Standard..No decision as yet is reached on expelling Loewen and Barnes..4:05 pm: Source says Todd Loewen is pleading for Kenney and the government to change direction, end the lockdown and “do the right thing.”.4:20 pm: A source tells Western Standard “many MLAs are saying ‘we need to look in the mirror.”.4:35 pm: Same source says the cabinet has been mostly quiet in the debate on expelling Loewen and Barnes..4:45 pm: Source says with cabinet “likely whipped,” the vote to expel Loewen and Barnes may pass by a slim margin..4:50 pm: A source says Premier Jason Kenney is telling caucus that it should be “grateful for the input that it gets.”.5:00 pm: Source tells Western Standard that Premier Kenney says there isn’t any major problems with the government’s approach, and “I don’t understand why everyone is so upset.”.5:10 pm: Source says that the vote to expel Loewen and Barnes will not be conducted by secret ballot, but by texting the new caucus chairman, Nick Milliken..5:20 pm: Voting is underway on motion to expel Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes from the UCP Caucus. Stand by for live results..5:30 pm: A UCP cabinet minister tells the Western Standard, “They had first decided all the vote results would go to Brittney who runs caucus services until MLAs freaked out.”.7:25 pm: Multiple sources in the caucus and ministers offices tell the Western Standard that caucus will be reconvened at 7:30 pm for the results of expulsion vote..7:35 pm: Results are presented to the caucus that Loewen and Barnes have been expelled..Check back regularly for live updates on the UCP Caucus Meeting
