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Members of Alberta’s governing United Conservative Party (UCP) have expressed great confidence in party leader Premier Danielle Smith, with just over 91 per cent of members approving of her leadership.

More than 4,600 members voted at the party’s annual general convention in Red Deer.

Smith thanked members for their support in a speech after the result was revealed.

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“I am truly humbled by the overwhelming support from our party members and your confidence in my leadership,” she said. “Our party is more united than it has ever been.”

She ended her speech by saying her party would once again beat the Alberta New Democrats and NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi.

Smith had refused to specify the precise number she was seeking, saying only that she wanted to surpass the 53.8% support she received on the sixth and final ballot of the leadership race runoff. which she won in 2022.

“You can’t get 100 percent support from 100 percent of the members 100 percent of the time,” she told reporters as voting was underway.

“I just hope I’ve managed to gain some ground since the last time they had a chance to give feedback.”

Smith’s 91.5 percent exceeds the 86 percent Nenshi received in winning his party’s leadership in the first round of voting last summer.

It’s also a number Nenshi challenged Smith to beat when reporters at the Legislature asked him last week.

Overcoming internal opposition

Smith appears to have defeated internal party opponents who sought to oust him, many of them saying his government’s policies don’t go far enough.

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A report card flyer distributed at the meeting by activist group Take Back Alberta (TBA) gave Smith a “D” grade for handling COVID-related policies.

“Many will have to wonder if she has truly delivered on the commitments that brought us together in the first place,” it reads.

TBA founder David Parker said that although he had become skeptical of Smith’s leadership, he was overall pleased with the results of Saturday’s meeting.

“Maybe my personal feelings about politics haven’t necessarily been met, or even about leadership, but the truth is that more people are engaged in politics than ever before,” he said.

“People have spoken. I’m not going to object to it. They love him.

He said he expects Smith will now move toward calling for broader support.

“I think she’s definitely going to pivot. I think she sees it as, “I’ve now realized what the base wants and now I’m going to try to win Calgary.” »

Similarly, another activist group, the 1905 Committee, distributed its own newsletter, challenging Smith’s failure to deliver on his income tax cut promise, reluctance to cut government spending, and lack of transparency around acceptance by government ministers. Edmonton Oilers playoff tickets last summer.

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“I would say 91 percent speak for themselves,” Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon told reporters after the results were released.

“It’s time for us to become a united party again and focus on what unites us and stop focusing on what divides us.”

Major victory

The exact number Smith needed to win was up for debate, but Saturday’s vote appeared to leave no doubt about the future of his leadership.

Lisa Young, a political scientist at the University of Calgary, told Postmedia before the weekend convention that a number in the 80s would represent an overall victory for Smith.

“All I think from 80 percent and above is a genuine victory and she more or less puts that aside,” she said.

This 91 percent also compares very well to the support received by previous Conservative Party leaders who were also prime minister.

Ralph Klein announced his departure in 2006 after failing to reach his self-imposed goal of 75 percent, receiving only 55 percent support.

Premiers Ed Stelmach and Alison Redford both ultimately left office after receiving 77 percent support.

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And Smith’s predecessor, Jason Kenney, was only able to muster 51 percent of support from UCP members in 2022 and announced he was resigning.

“Unapologetic and Bold”

Smith is expected to return to the Legislature on Monday as the fall session continues and more new legislation is expected to be introduced in the coming days.

Smith spoke to members two hours later vote on his leadership opened early Saturday in Red Deer, highlighting his government’s record since taking office in late 2022, arguing the province was on the right track under his leadership and describing Alberta as “safer, stronger and more free.”

“Let’s stand united as a party and as a movement,” she said. “Let us not let ourselves fall to the level of our adversaries by attacking each other, denigrating each other, or dividing ourselves into factions. »

Smith called on members to be “unapologetic and bold” and continue to advance the party’s conservative cause.

“Our Alberta values ​​of fiscal conservatism, free markets, individual liberty and personal responsibility are working and winning more and more with the public every day.”

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