Jason Kenney has quit as UCP leader. What happens to the party and government now?
With Jason Kenney having stepped down as leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party, who is now leader of the province?
Technically, Kenney remains Alberta's premier.
But in the case that a leader loses a leadership review or leaves the role vacant for any other reason – like Kenney did by resigning to the surprise of many on Wednesday – the party's rules call for a leadership election.
"We will, over the next days and weeks, set out the process for the leadership review, the conditions it will have to have, and the requirements for those who want to run for the leadership – deposits, timelines, and so forth," explained Calgary political scientist Lori Williams.
However, while that is being organized, caucus is supposed to vote in an interim party leader and premier "at the earliest possible opportunity," according to the party's governance manual.
Both the government cabinet and UCP caucus met in Calgary Thursday for "vigorous discussion and debate" about next steps.
Just before 5:30 p.m. the party announced that Kenney will stay on "until such time as a new leader is chosen."
There is one notable caveat to the election of an interim leader: Whoever is selected as an "interim leader" will not be able to put their name forward to be UCP leader.
THE POSSIBILITIES
The first name to come to Wiliams' mind for interim leader was Ric McIver, who once served as interim leader for the PC Party.
"He's got experience in government, so I would suspect someone like that, who is well enough known. Because lord knows that Alberta has a lot of challenges that it is facing at this moment, so it's going to have to be someone who already has the confidence of the party and can carry this ship forward," she commented.
The UCP's governance manual does not specify timelines for the election of an interim leader or a leadership contest to be called.
Alberta's next election is legislated for May 29, 2023.
"That could be an advantage or a disadvantage," Williams said. "It might be that if [a leadership contest] is closer to the election, they might find it easier to keep the dissidents, those who disagree with things, clear."
And uniting the party's fragmented membership will be the biggest job facing any interim or elected leader, she believes, as does the president of the UCP's Olds - Didsbury - Three Hills constituency association president.
"What I'm hoping is when that meeting happens [Thursday], that the people who were dissidents were no longer considered dissidents. Because they weren't problems for the party, and they weren't problems for the caucus. They were opposed – I think very legitimately and I think as of tonight, like truly legitimately – opposed to Premier Kenney," Rob Smith told CTV News on Wednesday after Kenney's resignation.
He suggested MLAs Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes, both of whom were booted from the UCP caucus after criticizing Kenney as leader, should be welcomed back.
Whoever is chosen as leader, Smith added, "I hope that it's someone who has strong roots within the party that truly can represent the caucus. I don't think that means they were necessarily a Kenney supporter, or that they were necessarily someone who was anti-Jason Kenney."
When pressed on potential future leaders, Smith called Finance Minister Travis Toews a "very, very exciting individual" and "a very sharp fellow." He said Doug Schweitzer was doing "pretty exciting" things as the jobs and economy minister, and has the potential to "cross some different categories in terms of demographics." Smith has heard some people also see Energy and Environment Minister Sonya Savage as having "some very strong skills."
"And if there's someone brand new… hey, that would be super exciting to get behind too."
Already, Danielle Smith and Brian Jean have declared their intent to be the UCP's next leader.
Williams expects more names will come from inside the party's inner circles, and possibly from outside provincial boundaries, if Rona Ambrose wants to rejoin the political arena.
"We could see a split over the whole leadership process, we could see a split after a leader is chosen that's not satisfactory to some of the members and voters. It is a very uncertain time."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.