Premier-designate Jason Kenney said he wishes Edmontonians had elected more United Conservative MLAs, but promised his government will serve all Albertans.

The UCP won a majority government with a projected 63 seats to the NDP’s 24. In the Edmonton area, the United Conservatives are closing in on two seats: Sherwood Park and Edmonton-South West.

Kaycee Madu, UCP candidate in Edmonton-South West, declared himself the winner of his riding Wednesday, but NDP candidate John Archer will not concede until all votes are counted.

‘We’ll be there for all Edmontonians’

Speaking at the legislature Wednesday afternoon, Kenney said his candidates “certainly tried” to win more seats in the Edmonton area.

“I wish we had elected more and it’s sad for me to see a number of really great candidates running for the conservative party in Edmonton who didn’t make it past the finish line.”

The premier-designate believes his party failed to gain more seats in the Edmonton area because it was not hit as hard by the economic downturn as the rest of Alberta was.

“My goal is to lead a government that fights for the interests of all Albertans, including Edmontonians, that creates jobs and growth and opportunity in this great city, and then we hope in the next election Edmontonians will give us a second chance by electing more MLAs,” Kenney said.

First order of business

Kenney set April 30 as the date he and his cabinet will be sworn in.

As he’s said before, the premier-designate maintained bill number one in the first legislature session will be the Carbon Tax Repeal Act, followed by the Open for Business Act and the first installment of the Job Creation Tax Cut, which he estimates will create 55,000 new full-time private sector jobs.

“For those Albertans who have been anxious about their economic future; whose incomes have been cut; who have lost their jobs, their homes or their hope; for all of those Albertans hope is on the way; a government that will be obsessed with job creation and economic growth, with getting a fair deal for Alberta in the Canadian Federation,” Kenney said.

The premier-designate spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who called to congratulate him, for 15 minutes Wednesday morning.

“I was clear about our grave concern about Bill C-69 and how it will further dampen investor confidence in Alberta’s energy sector.”

Kenney and Trudeau plan to meet in person after the Alberta leader is sworn in.