Constituency Association (CA) presidents called out UCP brass for the last minute logistics change to Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership review..While the vote was originally scheduled for a special general meeting (SGM) April 9 in Red Deer, the party decided to move it to an online format. The CA presidents gathered on the steps of the Legislature Building Thursday at a press conference, calling on the provincial board to resign..CA presidents Kevin Wilson (Airdrie-Cochrane), Rob Smith (Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills), Patrick Malkin (Red Deer-South), Nancy Holland (Airdrie-East), Jack Redicop (Calgary-Fish Creek), and Samantha Steinke (Central Peace-Notley) were in attendance..They were flanked by UCP MLAs Jason Stephan (Red Deer-South), Peter Guthrie (Airdrie-Cochrane), Angela Pitt (Airdrie-East), David Hanson (Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul), and Richard Gotfried (Calgary-Fish Creek), as well as Independent MLAs Drew Barnes (Cypress-Medicine Hat) and Todd Loewen (Central Peace-Notley)..“We’re here today to discuss the actions of the provincial board and the changing of the SGM rules, which we feel is a skullduggerous action,” said Steinke..Smith said the group in attendance represented “three of four dozen CAs and thousands of UCP members who have not been listened to time and time again.”.Among the 33 CA presidents’ demands was the SGM remain in Red Deer on April 9, as well as better representation and communication from the executive board..“You’ve entirely undermined transparency and democracy,” said Smith, taking aim at the executive board. “You are manipulating grassroots Albertans. We’ve had enough of that and we won’t take it anymore.”.“President Cynthia Moore, you work for us. We are tired of your top-down autocracy and we demand that you do better. This is not a Kenney-eaucracy, this is Alberta, and grassroots Albertans run the show,” said Smith..The presidents alleged more rural Albertans would have participated had they known they did not have to travel to Red Deer to vote. The cut-off date to purchase a UCP membership for the vote was March 19..“I think there are an awful lot of either past members or potential members that are 50 kilometres off the Hwy. 2 corridor that would have more seriously considered purchasing a membership if they knew they were going to have a ballot arrive to their home,” said Smith..“It was abuse of the power to do this after the fact.”.Malkin said the board must resign..“Due to the egregious bylaw, policy, and governance issues caused by the executive board of the UCP, the grassroots members of this province and all our constituencies are asking that the executive board resign within five business days,” said Malkin..Stephan was the only MLA to address the crowd from the podium..“Thirty-three CAs have asked for due process and procedural fairness. We really want to restore the trust of Albertans and so I’m here today to support our CA leadership in their request,” said Stephan..The UCP MLAs would not speak to questions about crossing the floor..Guthrie told the Western Standard the grassroots have ever-increasing “distrust in leadership, the UCP party, and the process” that simply won’t be alleviated by hiring an auditor to monitor the vote..“They’re not going to have trust in the data.”.Guthrie said the changes were premeditated and hurt the grassroots. “The party knew they were going to make this change. So they were looking at going actually to Edmonton and Calgary or this mail-in version. They knew, but nobody else knew it.”.“So they went out selling in Edmonton and Calgary, trying to establish a base there, but knowing that if no one else is aware of this in the rural areas, that they may not have to make that trek. Well some of them didn’t renew their memberships or take memberships.”.“And so it kept the north and the south away and allowed them to be able to focus on sales where they needed to.”.Guthrie was asked about the mail-in ballot possibly being compromised..“The ballot itself would be secure. The problem is whether or not you actually have a true individual behind that ballot, that is even aware that they’re holding that membership. So that is where some of the distrust is gonna come from,” said Guthrie..The UCP drew criticism late last year for Bill 81, the Election Statutes Amendment Act, which allows individuals to buy party memberships on behalf of other people..“Having a secure in-person vote is you’re providing your identification, and you’re showing who you are that you are actually indeed who you say you are. As far as I’m concerned, the integrity of the data is flawed. I think just set this aside, go straight to a leadership race. That would be the most advantageous thing that they could do.”.Rose Huebschwerlen from Breton was at the press conference to voice her support for the CA presidents. She said the mail-in option was “crap” and intends to keep her reservation in Red Deer to attend the Holding MLAs Accountable tailgate party..Huebschwerlen said she will vote “no” to Kenney because of how he managed COVID-19..“That’s what really got me up in arms was the flip-flopping. I know people who had businesses that had to close, people that lost jobs, other people that have been forced to get the vaccine because they can’t afford to lose their job.”.“This is the reason I’m here, because I don’t agree with what they did.” .Amber Gosselin is a Western Standard reporter..agosselin@westernstandardonline.com
Constituency Association (CA) presidents called out UCP brass for the last minute logistics change to Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership review..While the vote was originally scheduled for a special general meeting (SGM) April 9 in Red Deer, the party decided to move it to an online format. The CA presidents gathered on the steps of the Legislature Building Thursday at a press conference, calling on the provincial board to resign..CA presidents Kevin Wilson (Airdrie-Cochrane), Rob Smith (Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills), Patrick Malkin (Red Deer-South), Nancy Holland (Airdrie-East), Jack Redicop (Calgary-Fish Creek), and Samantha Steinke (Central Peace-Notley) were in attendance..They were flanked by UCP MLAs Jason Stephan (Red Deer-South), Peter Guthrie (Airdrie-Cochrane), Angela Pitt (Airdrie-East), David Hanson (Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul), and Richard Gotfried (Calgary-Fish Creek), as well as Independent MLAs Drew Barnes (Cypress-Medicine Hat) and Todd Loewen (Central Peace-Notley)..“We’re here today to discuss the actions of the provincial board and the changing of the SGM rules, which we feel is a skullduggerous action,” said Steinke..Smith said the group in attendance represented “three of four dozen CAs and thousands of UCP members who have not been listened to time and time again.”.Among the 33 CA presidents’ demands was the SGM remain in Red Deer on April 9, as well as better representation and communication from the executive board..“You’ve entirely undermined transparency and democracy,” said Smith, taking aim at the executive board. “You are manipulating grassroots Albertans. We’ve had enough of that and we won’t take it anymore.”.“President Cynthia Moore, you work for us. We are tired of your top-down autocracy and we demand that you do better. This is not a Kenney-eaucracy, this is Alberta, and grassroots Albertans run the show,” said Smith..The presidents alleged more rural Albertans would have participated had they known they did not have to travel to Red Deer to vote. The cut-off date to purchase a UCP membership for the vote was March 19..“I think there are an awful lot of either past members or potential members that are 50 kilometres off the Hwy. 2 corridor that would have more seriously considered purchasing a membership if they knew they were going to have a ballot arrive to their home,” said Smith..“It was abuse of the power to do this after the fact.”.Malkin said the board must resign..“Due to the egregious bylaw, policy, and governance issues caused by the executive board of the UCP, the grassroots members of this province and all our constituencies are asking that the executive board resign within five business days,” said Malkin..Stephan was the only MLA to address the crowd from the podium..“Thirty-three CAs have asked for due process and procedural fairness. We really want to restore the trust of Albertans and so I’m here today to support our CA leadership in their request,” said Stephan..The UCP MLAs would not speak to questions about crossing the floor..Guthrie told the Western Standard the grassroots have ever-increasing “distrust in leadership, the UCP party, and the process” that simply won’t be alleviated by hiring an auditor to monitor the vote..“They’re not going to have trust in the data.”.Guthrie said the changes were premeditated and hurt the grassroots. “The party knew they were going to make this change. So they were looking at going actually to Edmonton and Calgary or this mail-in version. They knew, but nobody else knew it.”.“So they went out selling in Edmonton and Calgary, trying to establish a base there, but knowing that if no one else is aware of this in the rural areas, that they may not have to make that trek. Well some of them didn’t renew their memberships or take memberships.”.“And so it kept the north and the south away and allowed them to be able to focus on sales where they needed to.”.Guthrie was asked about the mail-in ballot possibly being compromised..“The ballot itself would be secure. The problem is whether or not you actually have a true individual behind that ballot, that is even aware that they’re holding that membership. So that is where some of the distrust is gonna come from,” said Guthrie..The UCP drew criticism late last year for Bill 81, the Election Statutes Amendment Act, which allows individuals to buy party memberships on behalf of other people..“Having a secure in-person vote is you’re providing your identification, and you’re showing who you are that you are actually indeed who you say you are. As far as I’m concerned, the integrity of the data is flawed. I think just set this aside, go straight to a leadership race. That would be the most advantageous thing that they could do.”.Rose Huebschwerlen from Breton was at the press conference to voice her support for the CA presidents. She said the mail-in option was “crap” and intends to keep her reservation in Red Deer to attend the Holding MLAs Accountable tailgate party..Huebschwerlen said she will vote “no” to Kenney because of how he managed COVID-19..“That’s what really got me up in arms was the flip-flopping. I know people who had businesses that had to close, people that lost jobs, other people that have been forced to get the vaccine because they can’t afford to lose their job.”.“This is the reason I’m here, because I don’t agree with what they did.” .Amber Gosselin is a Western Standard reporter..agosselin@westernstandardonline.com
