Finance Minister Travis Toews is the first candidate to officially enter the United Conservative Party’s leadership race..If the Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA wins, he would serve as party leader and Alberta premier with only a shade more than three years in politics under his belt..Toews, who was first elected in 2019 after winning 74.8% of the vote and was soon after appointed finance minister, has kept a low-key profile..He decidedly isn’t a household name..Time will tell what his policies are on social, economic, or any Alberta-related issues for that matter..Time will also tell if the gentlemanly Toews has enough stamina to stand up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s liberals and defeat Rachel Notley’s NDP in the May 2023 provincial election..Toews, 57, an accountant by profession, officially registered with Elections Alberta Monday..The details announced last Friday — rules, procedures, and timelines — of the race to replace Premier Jason Kenney are still being tweaked by the Election Leadership Committee. .Kenney said he would resign on the heels of the May 18 revelation that he received only 51.4% in his leadership review. He later said he will stay on until the new UCP leader is chosen..Political observers, who asked to remain anonymous, say they don’t know much about Toews, but are certain he was anointed one of Kenney’s People..According to one observer, Toews has a “good reputation” and is “the least damaged of the lot,” therefore, is a good choice having had not even a hint of a scandal to survive..The question is, will the UCP close ranks around Toews and fracture itself further by not allowing anyone else from cabinet to run?.Speculation is that Children's Services Minister Rebecca Schulz and Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney are both considering entering the race..Fort McMurray-Lac-La-Biche MLA Brian Jean, and former MLA Danielle Smith, who is seeking the nomination in Livingstone-Macleod, announced intentions to run. Both are former Wildrose Party leaders..“Travis is not well known. Travis is a very good speaker. He has a nice delivery style, is very knowledgeable, and knows how to work the room,” said one political observer..The concern is that Toews might be seen as “Kenney 2.0” reading from the Kenney script..“He was told what to do by Kenney and he obliged. So, I see him being tainted with the Kenney stamp. He obviously showed no leadership under the dictatorship of Kenney.”.However, Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie — a harsh and open Kenney critic — doesn’t quite see it that way..“Travis is a person of integrity and I wish him all the best in his pursuit of the UCP leadership,” said Guthrie..“In his role as finance minister he was a major contributor to our government’s achievement of a balanced budget. His professionalism and hard work have served Albertans well.” .Jean issued a release welcoming Toews “into the race to renew the UCP.”.“It is important to re-establish the United Conservative Party as the party all Alberta's common-sense voters can rally to and defeat the bad policies of the NDP in next year's election,” said Jean..“I am looking forward to an open, thoughtful, and vigorous race where several candidates can discuss their approach to making Albertans the happiest, healthiest, most free and most prosperous people in Canada and the world.".After retiring from his accounting practice, Toews managed a family cattle ranching operation and ran an oilfield environmental company..He served on the boards of the Alberta Beef Producers and Canadian Agri-Food Trace Alliance and as president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association from 2010-2112.
