No-win situation for Alberta premier at upcoming UCP meeting, say political scientists
CBC
Political scientists say Alberta Premier Jason Kenney faces a no-win situation at his party's annual meeting in Calgary this weekend over mounting questions about his leadership.
Duane Bratt, a professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, said Kenney's challenge is to not only win back support from the United Conservative Party but also from the public.
Bratt said most annual meetings focus on team-building, policy discussion and celebration, but he expects there will be none of that.
"I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what's a good scenario for the premier and I don't think there is one," he said Thursday.
Bratt said the worst-case scenario would be walkouts during Kenney's keynote address, low attendance and a "battle" over a resolution coming before the meeting to increase the threshold to trigger a leadership vote.
"Even if none of that happens and all the delegates show up to Kenney's keynote, he gets a standing ovation, everyone is holding hands and singing Kumbaya, it's still bad for him outside the room."
The premier has been dealing with rising discontent within his caucus, party and from Albertans over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues. Some have called for his resignation.
There is also movement within the party to speed up a leadership review vote to determine whether Kenney still has their confidence. The vote is set for April 2022.
However, 22 UCP constituency associations have signed a letter to the party executive to trigger an earlier vote. They represent the required 25 per cent of boards under bylaws to fast-track a review.
Members are expected to vote at the AGM on a motion to increase that threshold to 29 associations.
During an unrelated news conference Thursday, Kenney said the meeting will be a chance for members to chart a course for the future with healthy debate on how to move forward.
When asked about internal factions, Kenney said a day earlier that he has overwhelming support from his caucus.
"There will be a moment for a leadership review next year, which I fully support," he said Wednesday. "I just encourage all of my colleagues to focus on the people's business, on the priorities of Albertans, not internal politics."
Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, said Kenney still has some support, especially from people in positions of power within the party.
The Mounties called it the "Native extremism program." Today, it sounds like a spy novel.
A judge is expected to rule in June on a proposed settlement for a class-action lawsuit involving a crash landing of an Air Canada flight in Halifax more than a decade ago.
An inmate who was on the loose after escaping a jail in Shediac has been caught, New Brunswick RCMP said in a press release late Monday afternoon.
Premier Wab Kinew draped the Manitoba flag over an empty seat as politicians from across the aisle said goodbye to one of their own in an emotional tribute at the legislature on Monday.
Saskatoon police have identified the driver of a vehicle that struck a railway overpass above Circle Drive on Sunday — the third such collision in the city this month.
People who live near Lac Pelletier say effluent from a nearby cattle feedlot has spilled off the site and into a ditch that feeds into the lake downstream.
A man charged in a pair of stabbings in central Edmonton seven years ago has been found guilty of manslaughter.
Police in Metro Vancouver are warning drivers to remain attentive, even in a self-driving vehicle, after ticketing a woman who "appeared to be literally asleep at the wheel" on Highway 1.
Some century-old churches on P.E.I. are renovating to become more accessible, which includes updates to accommodate many different kinds of needs.
Toronto police headed to school zones Monday as part of a safety blitz following March Break.
WARNING: This story details experiences at residential schools.
The N.W.T. Coroner Service has identified the Nunavut man who died in RCMP custody in Yellowknife last Thursday.
The Liberal government's nominee to be the next fiscal watchdog insists she'll run an independent and non-partisan ship — even though her candidacy has created a political rift.