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At a time when Alberta is recovering – beyond expectations – from years of economic downturn, Kenny risks taking his leadership out of it.
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April 16, 2022 • 23 hours ago • 6 minutes reading • 236 comments Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenny: “I think the vast majority of Alberta conservatives know that … this is a period of unity or NDP government, period. “Photo by Gavin Young / Postmedia / File
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EDMANTON – Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenny is fighting for his political life.
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The ballots are mailed to members of his United Conservative Party, and party believers will have a chance to determine whether Kenny will remain the leader of the party he forged in 2017 from the remnants of the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties.
The union survived – it still stands, but the COVID-19 pandemic revealed deep fractures in Alberta’s right wing. The outspoken dissident members of the UCP group inspired internal talks on a leadership coup. And at a time when Alberta is recovering – beyond expectations – from a multi-year economic downturn, one year to the next election, Kenny is at risk of losing his leadership.
Last weekend, in a speech that launched the Leadership Review, Kenny returned to the leadership crises that have plagued conservatives in the province since the days of Ralph Klein, drawing a clear line between that struggle and Rachel Notley’s astonishing victory in 2015. who disrupted four decades of continuous conservative rule.
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Yet this drama aside, Kenny is pushing for Alberta’s energy industry. Oil prices are the highest since 2014. In March, the government released a budget that provides for a surplus. And this week, Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia and chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, was in Alberta to discuss energy policy and strengthen Alberta and the idea of North American energy security.
Jason Kenny spoke to the National Post on Thursday. This interview has been edited and shortened for clarity.
Joe Manchin suggested that a delegation from Alberta go to Washington. Is there a timeline update?
I expect this to happen in May. He will hold hearings on our concept for the North American Energy Alliance, and he invited Alberta to present a panel discussion – me and other people from Alberta to come and describe the importance of the Canadian energy industry for North American energy security.
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If you went to Washington, what would be some indicators of success? Or specific things you would like to see achieved?
Well, it is difficult to determine the exact indicator.
I will just say that attracting the attention of the most influential man in the US Congress, who spent two and a half days here, is a huge victory for Alberta. As you know, getting everyone’s attention in Washington is a challenge.
For us to have an audience before the leaders of American energy policy and the Congress itself will be a great victory.
No one will push a switch to build a pipeline – another one built – between Canada and the United States in the next few weeks. But we have to start somewhere.
Alberta’s Prime Minister Jason Kenny meets with US Senator Joe Manchin in Calgary on April 12, 2022. Photo by Darren Makovichuk / Postmedia / File
I think that where there is a will, there is a way. There is likely to be a significant change in the US Congress during the interim terms. We may have something close to a super-majority in both countries that want this pipeline to be built – a pipeline built – that wants to displace OPEC imports by increasing imports from Canada.
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So, you know, we’re going to continue the discussion on how to make that happen.
Is Alberta able to meet demand if the focus shifts more to Canadian oil?
If all our producers together maximize their current capacity and start some development of new production, yes.
We always talk about oil sands, but on the conventional side they can add production quite quickly with the right … price signals and political environment. Can we add a million barrels a day next year? No, but we could add a few hundred thousand if there was the right security.
A review of the leadership is forthcoming – are you personally the divisive figure in the party?
It is definitely a highly motivated, small minority that has decided to join this leadership review to run a program that is far beyond the mainstream. And to ignore that means to ignore what is obviously in front of us, right?
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This is the reality we are dealing with, and I am doing my best to maintain this as a big tent, but still a mainstream, center-right party. Is it easy? No. Will there be angry and marginal voices from time to time? Yes.
But I am committed to continuing the course on this issue, and if we go to the polls for leadership, there is no doubt that the passionate intensity will come from people who do not believe that COVID ever happened, believe that vaccines are deadly and want to clear the bills for all this.
I think that would be disastrous for the party. I don’t think the majority of Alberts would have any idea how to understand this debate. They would think this is reckless and ignores the real bread and butter problems of most Alberta families, which are about the economy, inflation of living costs, housing, and so on.
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Kenny calls for unity in final speech before sending UCP leadership review bulletins
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The visit of the American senator to Alberta welcomed the government of Jason Kenny
Can the division of the party be cured?
Yes, I believe we can overcome the tensions in our movement that arose during COVID.
And I have little experience with that, because I spent three years of my life rebuilding the United Conservative Party in Alberta. There have been deep divisions, resentments and mistrust that have accumulated over a decade.
When I started this work, there were a lot of people in both inherited parties who said, “Damn, no, that’s never going to happen.” I will never be in a room with these boys. But we did the hard work, methodically and democratically, to build the new, united party.
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So I think the vast majority of conservatives in Alberta know that … this is a period of unity or government of the NDP, period.
But the main problem we have faced internally over the last two years has been the division over COVID. My argument is, let him step back in the rearview mirror, the worst is behind us. Let us not constantly divide our movement and party because of the crisis that happens once a century, let us move forward. I believe that as I travel around the countryside, most of our members are there.
You said that 50 + 1 is the majority to remain a leader. Are you still on this number?
Well, I would like to get as much support as possible, but I said that 50 percent plus one is a majority in a democracy. This is the number required in our constitution to confirm the leader in a review vote.
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I know all of you in the media want me to come up with a random figure, I’m not going to do that. I am optimistic that I will receive strong approval from the membership. I don’t know what the number will be.
And I will respect the result. If I receive this approval, I expect all members of our assembly to respect it. If I am not approved by the members, I will withdraw with all my humility and thank them for the privilege of having the best job in Canada.
But I believe that a significant majority of the main conservatives in Alberta will vote for unity, stability and continuity.
The Conservatives are on the hunt for a new leader. Which candidate do you support?
My focus right now is to ensure the unity of our provincial party and to do the work for the people of Albert.
Once we go through our review of leadership, I can turn my attention to that. I will say that I hope that the next leader of the Conservatives is someone who is committed to a strong future for the Canadian oil and gas industry.
So I would be happy to talk to some of the candidates about those issues that are key to the future of Alberta’s economy.
But, you know, I don’t think we’ve seen the full list of candidates yet. And as I said, I am focused on the immediate challenges that Alberta faces.
• Email: tdawson@postmedia.com | Twitter: tylerrdawson
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