If you're a UCP member, here's how you can do a beautiful thing for the NDP — get rid of Danielle Smith

As leadership review approaches, former Alberta PC attorney-general appeals for party unity

Premier Danielle Smith — as the leader of the United Conservative party — is facing a mandated leadership review at her party’s convention in Red Deer on November 1 and 2. Many have asked me what can happen and what the process involves.

One important distinction is between the “government” and the “party.”

This leadership review is entirely governed by the “party”.

Practically speaking, a leader needs a strong mandate at such a vote to continue in post. (After narrowly winning his review vote with 52% two years ago, former premier Jason Kenney chose to step down.)

Now let’s switch to the “government” side.

In the British model of governance, the Premier is the leader of the party that has the largest number of seats in the legislature. If the Premier is no longer leader of the governing party, she would submit a letter of resignation to the Lieutenant-Governor.

The Lieutenant-Governor would then take the advice of the United Conservative caucus as to whom should be appointed Premier. This is exactly what happened in 2014, after then-premier Alison Redford resigned, and the governing PC party voted for David Hancock as leader.

From this point forward, the UCP would surely have an open leadership convention and elect a new leader. But, this process would hamper the government’s ability to pursue its agenda, while the Nenshi-led NDP would seize this opportunity to gain political ground.

Jonathan Denis KC, 23rd Attorney General of Alberta
Jonathan Denis KC, 23rd Attorney General of AlbertaGovernment of Alberta
So much for the process. What about the politics of it all?

Let's start with a bit of political trivia. Who was the last premier to complete his/her mandate and be re-elected? Why, it was Ralph Klein in 2004... yes, 20 years ago. Alberta had a history of one-party dominance; this statistic shows how volatile politics has become, even in our province.

But volatile it is. The UCP only narrowly won the 2023 election and the NDP are sitting on the largest opposition caucus in our history.

If there is a leadership review, it risks plunging the government into chaos without any heir apparent. The new leader — who would become the premier — will be elected by UCP members and will govern until the next election in 2027.

And so, the Nenshi NDP would seize this opportunity to further de-stabilize the government and do their best to take power in the next election. And many in the media will do their best to further foment division in the UCP’s ranks. None of this bodes well for a government of any stripe.

Speaking personally, I met our Premier at a conference in 1998 and have known her socially since I moved to Calgary a couple of years later. Fast forward a few more years and I’m a cabinet minister facing questions from her when she was leader of the opposition and in recent years I’ve come to be a supporter — noting that I’ve seen her grow significantly as a leader who consults and listens.

Which leads me to say that whichever side of the coin that you’re on, it’s time to leave these past disputes between conservatives behind. They're water under the bridge.

Does this mean that supporters have to be happy with everything the government is doing? Absolutely not — and rarely is anyone in this category.

But perhaps people should consider what could very well happen if the leadership review comes back negatively — as Halloween approaches the scariest thing I can think of would be “Premier Nenshi.”
https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/denis-if-youre-a-ucp-member-heres-how-you-can-do-a-beautiful-thing-for-the-ndp-get-rid-of-danielle-smith/58556