Jason Kenney has made it official - the Conservative MP for Calgary-Midnapore will be running for the leadership of the Alberta PC Party.
Ushered into a packed Calgary hall to the song 'Alberta Bound' by Paul Brandt, Kenney ended long speculation on his political future as he stepped onto the stage.
Before making it official, Kenney's lengthy preamble included references to his mother, multiculturalism, "the late, great Ralph Klein" and the future of Canadian conservatism.
Kenney went on to say that after a great deal of reflection on where he could best serve Canada, he chose to run at the provincial level.
"We must fight the ideological agenda of this accidental NDP government," said Kenney as he talked about bringing back the "Alberta Advantage".
One of Kenney's key platform promise, something he refers to as an explicit mandate, includes 'uniting Alberta' by bringing supporters of the Wildrose and the PC Party together to form a single free-enterprise party.
Some former and current PC politicians don't necessarily share the same enthusiasm for a planned merging of the parties.
Sandra Jansen, current PC MLA for Calgary-Northwest, told CTV News she is against the 'socially conservative' Kenney being handed the reins and vowed against working in a 'blended caucus'.
Former PC MLA Thomas Lukaszuk has also said that Kenney's views don't align with the PCs.
When asked about Kenney's possible bid for the PC leadership, Premier Rachel Notley said that it was better to focus on the record of the New Democrats, rather than engage in personality navel-gazing.
The Alberta PCs have been without a leader since Jim Prentice resigned following the last provincial election.
The party will choose a new leader at their convention to be held on March 18, 2017.
With files from CTV Calgary
