THE TAKEOVER Jason Kenney unites the right - Alberta Magazine Publishers Association
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FE AT U R E T H E TA K EOV E R
THE
TAKEOVER By TADZIO RICHARDS
Jason Kenney unites the right
A
t 5:20 p.m. on October 28, back, between the Kenney and Jean supporters, who
2017, minutes before the were cheering like sports fans for their man.
accidental, and then the official “Ja-son!”
announcement of the winner of “Bri-an!”
the United Conservative Party’s “Ja-son!”
(UCP) first-ever leadership “Guys! How are you?” said Kenney as he shook
race, blue and white balloons hung in a net above a hands in the crowd on the way to his seat. A man in
brightly lit stage at the BMO Centre at the Calgary the Kenney section shouted out, loud enough that
Stampede grounds. A row of TV cameras aimed at all 2,000 people in attendance could hear: “The next
the on-stage podium. In the cavernous, 50,000 ft2 premier of Alberta right there!”
hall, a backdrop behind the stage pictured downtown
Calgary, Edmonton City Hall and oil wells in Alberta. TALK OF UNITING THE RIGHT IN ALBERTA
All were illuminated conservative-logo blue. “In began in earnest on July 6, 2016, when Kenney
choosing a leader for the United Conservative Party,” announced he was running for the leadership of the
leadership candidate Jason Kenney had told a crowd PCs with the intention to merge with the Wildrose.
earlier in the campaign, “we’ll not only be electing a The NDP is an “accidental government,” he said in
leader but almost certainly electing a premier.” Calgary. “Together, we must begin the renewal of
The UCP is a merger of the Wildrose and Canada’s conservative movement right here in its
Progressive Conservative parties. In the 2015 heartland.”
provincial election, when the NDP won a majority It wasn’t the first time Kenney had played a
government, the two conservative parties got 52 per role in uniting right-wing parties on the outside
cent of the vote between them but lost the election. looking in at government. From 1997 to 2016 he
The PCs’ 44-year dynasty came to an end. Two years represented a federal riding
later, in separate decisions, the two conservative in southeast Calgary. Initially “In choosing
parties voted to unify. famous in Ottawa as part of the
The new, combined party had 27 MLAs (all but “Snack Pack,” a group of young a leader for
two of them male) and no official policies. The UCP conservatives that included the UCP, we’ll
policy convention isn’t until this May, but all three fellow MP Rob Anders and staffer
leadership candidates—former federal Conservative Ezra Levant, Kenney supported almost certainly
cabinet minister Kenney, former Wildrose leader Preston Manning, then Stockwell be electing a
Brian Jean and insolvency lawyer Doug Schweitzer— Day, then Stephen Harper as the
promised to balance the budget, “restore the Alberta federal Canadian Alliance party premier.”
Advantage” and repeal NDP legislation including merged with—took over—the — jason kenney
the carbon tax and protections for farm and ranch Progressive Conservative party
workers’ safety. A fourth candidate, former Wildrose in 2003, creating a single neo-conservative party that
president Jeff Callaway, promised the same but quit more moderate Red Tories such as former prime
the race to support Kenney. minister Joe Clark refused to join. In the Harper
Now Callaway was standing at the back of the hall government, Kenney held several cabinet portfolios,
with Kenney supporters, including Jason Nixon, the including Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and
tall UCP MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House- Multiculturalism. After the federal Conservatives
Sundre, chanting “Ja-son! Ja-son!” as the candidate lost the 2015 election, Kenney entered provincial
entered the hall. Kenney supporters had been given politics (though he retained his federal seat and
WI LL G E I E R
the middle section of the hall, with Schweitzer continued to be paid as an MP until September
supporters on the left, facing the stage, and Brian 23, 2016). In some circles the move was cause for
Jean supporters seated to the right. I stood at the celebration. “The well-known social conservative,”
4 2 j a n ua r y / f e b r ua r y 2 01 8 albertaviews.ca 43
FE AT U R E T H E TA K EOV E R
Left: Jason Kenney and Sandra Jansen, Red Deer, November 2016. Jansen said harassment from “socially Middle: Brian Jean and Derek Fildebrandt after the Wildrose unity vote, July 22, 2017. Fildebrandt had told
regressive” party members at the PC policy forum led her to quit the PCs and join the NDP government. reporters he wouldn’t support Jean for UCP leader. Right: Doug Schweitzer at Calgary Pride, September 4, 2017.
as he was described by a writer with LifeSite News, convention.” The youth—wearing blue or camouflage- By the time of his Calgary Stampede pancake keep close to your principles. Along with pride, one is
a popular anti-abortion website, “has embarked on coloured “Unite Alberta” baseball caps—made their breakfast at the Acadia Recreation Complex in constantly tempted to let the end justify the means.”
a quest to unite the right in Alberta in order to take votes, posed for selfies with ex-prime minister Harper southeast Calgary on July 8, 2017, Kenney had been Money, of course, is among the means to power.
down Rachel Notley’s NDP. ” (also there to support Kenney), then got back on the campaigning for over a year. I met him face to face Financial statements released by Elections Alberta
Kenney’s plan for Conservative unity—which buses and returned to their never-named hometowns. after standing in a long line that began outside the on July 18, 2017, revealed that Kenney filed
he posted on Facebook and elsewhere and Immediately after the policy forum, Calgary MLA arena-sized hall. Municipal council candidate Jeromy $1.46-million in expenses for the PC leadership
periodically updated with check marks beside and PC leadership candidate Sandra Jansen resigned Farkas—a protégé of the Manning Centre, which contest. This included $662,728 for campaign staff
the steps completed—was simple: Get elected as from the race, citing aggressive and sexually charged wants to limit the role of government—greeted people such as campaign manager John Weissenberger—
PC leader; negotiate with the verbal and written harassment during the Red Deer at the door. Another city council candidate, Chris “We Stephen Harper’s close friend who in a Calgary
Wildrose to create a “united free- convention—abuse that often focused on her support Need a Tax Warrior” Davis, wrote a campaign cheque Herald op-ed once dismissed global warming as a
Sandra Jansen enterprise party”; allow time for
a “grassroots” debate; have the
for women’s reproductive rights. “My presence in this
race has so enraged a socially regressive element,” she
and lingered at the donation table set up beside the
slow, snaking line of seniors and young families
“theory” promoted by “a cabal of government-funded
scientists, environmental activists and journalists.”
quit the PC race, “grassroots” vote for unity; and said in an email to supporters, “that I fear it will take waiting to shake hands with “Jason.” Kenney stood in The cost for staff alone was four times what Starke,
citing aggressive then have a leadership election
for the “new, united party.” He
away from our ability to fight what is turning out
to be a very hostile takeover attempt on the party.”
front of a pancake table wearing a black cowboy hat,
a white button-up shirt and jeans that rode high and
the runner-up, spent on his entire campaign. But
that wasn’t all: Kenney’s campaign spokesman,
and sexually bought a brand new blue Dodge Donna Kennedy-Glans, the only other female among tight on the pear of his stomach. His hand was soft Blaise Boehmer, said Kenney’s Unite Alberta PAC
charged verbal Ram pickup, strategically tagged the six candidates, also resigned that same day, saying but his grip was firm, a handshake at first pliant but had raised over $500,000 prior to the start of the PC
C P / D E A N B E N N E T T ( K E N N E Y / J A N S E N ) ; TA D Z I O R I C H A R D S
it with bumper stickers—“Stop in an email to reporters that “right now, politics in quickly ungiving. “Thank you for coming,” he said, leadership race, bringing the campaign donations
and written the Carbon Tax” and “I Love Alberta is polarizing and there is limited opportunity and released his hand to grab the next palm in line, above $2-million. Over 96 per cent of those early
harassment. Canadian Pipelines”—and drove
around Alberta raising support
for centrist voices to be heard.” On November 17
Jansen crossed the floor of the Legislature to join the
his face sweaty in the air-conditioned hall at 9:30 in
the morning.
PAC donors were not identified.
“The NDP—the socialists and their allied special
and money through his political NDP government. Kenney was easy to meet superficially. He shook interest groups—understand that if they can win
action committee (PAC), Unite Alberta. “We cannot put power ahead of principle,” said PC hands at events big and small. He raised money. He a second term in Alberta they will still the beating
On November 5, 2016, he rolled into Red Deer leadership candidate Richard Starke to members at did it most days of a week. Described by Maclean’s heart of free enterprise,” said Kenney at a campaign
for the PC policy forum ahead of the PC leadership the Red Deer forum. “If Albertans view our actions in 2011 as the “hardest-working MP” in Ottawa, event I attended later that summer at the Paradise
convention the following March. He didn’t come solely as a thinly veiled grab for power we are telling Kenney, age 49, is not married and has no children. Valley golf course in Medicine Hat. “We need a
alone. Kenney’s campaign bused in hundreds of them that we have learned nothing from the 2015 On the 2017 campaign trail in Alberta he described premier who’s willing to stand up for this province,
voting-age youth, mostly young men from an defeat.” The caution was ignored. On March 18, politics as a “vocation”—a beautiful description like we had premiers in the past,” he said, his voice
unnamed Christian college (or colleges), as the 2017, PC members elected Kenney as their new but not his only comment on a political career. As rising through clapping and cheers from the packed
Calgary Herald reported it, “…to vote for a pro- leader, with 75 per cent of the vote and a mandate Marci McDonald reported in a detailed 2014 Walrus clubhouse crowd. “We also need a premier who’s
Kenney slate on the PC youth association executive, to pursue unity with the Wildrose. The date for the profile, Kenney once told Republican students at the willing to stand up—like we frankly have never had
which selects 20 delegates to the leadership unity vote was set for July 22. University of San Francisco: “Politics is a tough life to in my lifetime—to defend the oil and gas industry!”
4 4 j a n ua r y / f e b r ua r y 2 01 8 albertaviews.ca 45
FE AT U R E T I T L E
more right of centre—that is to say, right of Peter latest venture, which was broadcasting from the hotel.
Lougheed,” he said. “Home schooling, anti-abortion, Robson said if conservatives agreed that humans
anti-gay; that’s too conservative for us. We have are causing climate change—but then did nothing
three daughters. They’re all professionals; they about it—they would “look like heartless, brainless,
grew up in this province and went through public miserable fools. And that’s not good politics.”
education. I’m not in favour of home schooling or “But the science is wrong,” said Robson. “It is not
private schools. I’m in favour of a strong public true that the earth is undergoing unprecedented
school board to which everyone can have access. So changes. It is not true that humans are causing
up until this moment I didn’t feel like I could vote them. It is not true that they portend disaster if we
for Jean in any capacity.” don’t stop using fossil fuels. Not one of those things
“I came here in 1970,” he said. “I remember is true, and that’s why we do not need carbon taxes.
Lougheed with all these young guys with skinny- So if that’s your position, you’re safe intellectually,
leg pants and skinny briefcases and you could see you’re safe morally and you’re also—which matters
and feel that they were the future of Alberta. They in this room—you’re safe politically, which sounds
were socially progressive but fiscally conservative. like a pretty good deal to me.”
When I shook hands [with Jean], I said ‘I’m a Peter This got a rousing cheer. As did a later speech by
Lougheed conservative.’ And he leaned in and said Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes, who
‘So am I.’ I’m impressed—he’s not saying ‘It’s a said “the science is not settled” on climate change.
Christian province, don’t you know, and we won’t Another MLA, Grant Hunter, Cardston-Taber-
have any abortion.’ He did have to say he supports Warner, praised the Alberta Advantage—“widespread
parents’ rights to dictate schools, so that’s a negative. tax cuts, decreasing the size of government and
UCP supporters at the BMO Centre in Calgary on October 28, 2017, But if the parties are united and Brian Jean gets deregulating domestic markets”—as “very good for Sixteen months after he announced a plan to unite the right in Alberta,
the night the results of the party’s leadership race were announced. elected as the leader, could I support him? I think my family.” Then Hunter said grassroots conservatives Jason Kenney won the UCP leadership election on the first ballot.
I could. We have to support uniting the right. It’s could best determine how to balance the budget.
S
a critical moment. If the right doesn’t get its shit He left the podium and strolled around the room
INCE KENNEY WENT TO OTTAWA together then the left is going to be in for a long with a microphone. “How many people are here? in the past year and more had attended multiple
as an MP in 1997, Alberta has grown by time and Alberta is going to be a much different 100 people?” he said. “Who here has a good idea to events with Jason Kenney, and said he would not
nearly 1.4-million people. The province place. That’s what worries me.” balance the budget? Just put up your hand and give support Brian Jean for the leadership of a united
now has a population of over four mil- me one idea—these are going to be good.” right—reassured Wildrose members that “a vast
lion, with a median age of 36.7—Can- UNTIL THE JULY 22 VOTE, UNITING the right “Use some common sense like any successful majority of PCs share our core values. The leftists
ada’s youngest province. Nearly 84 per wasn’t a sure thing. While the PCs only needed 50 business,” said an older man. “Don’t spend money if that used to be in that party are, thankfully, at least
cent of Albertans live in urban areas and the province per cent of members to agree, the Wildrose needed you don’t have it. Cut costs.” some of them, already gone to the NDP. ”
has the highest per capita ownership of smartphones. a 75 per cent majority to merge. On a Saturday “Make our transfer payments with oil instead of In the crowded main ballroom,
The population is younger, more ethnically diverse in Red Deer, Wildrose members gathered at the cash,” said another man. This got some laughs and shortly after the announcement
and more globally connected than 20 years ago. Radisson Hotel to vote on unity, both in person and clapping. of the vote—a vote that went 95 As premier, said
In this context, the PCs’ lurch to the right under online. The day started at 8 a.m. with a 90-minute “Use public space for public good,” said a per cent in favour of unity—party Kenney, “I would
Kenney made some party members nervous. PC member debate moderated by party president Jeff moustached man. “Airports right across the country president Jeff Callaway took to
president Katherine O’Neill left the party in April Callaway in the 7,000 ft2 Winspear Ballroom. Most advertise on their parkades and the money goes to the stage. For conservatives, he appoint a minister
2017 to start a PAC—Alberta Together—to “shape speakers spoke to the yes side. But not all—some the airport. Why we don’t put advertisements on said, a vote to merge the right “is whose sole focus is
a centrist voice going into the 2019 election.” Just members recalled the “entitlement” of the PC party hospitals and hospital parkades in this province about being proud, being strong.
before the July 22 unity vote, Calgary-South East when it was in power, comparing the push for unity blows me away.” It’s about one day, as government, deregulation.”
PC MLA Rick Fraser told the Herald that to get his to the 2014 floor crossing to the PCs by then-leader “OK,” said Hunter. “What else?” freeing this province from the
support a new united party must develop “moderate Danielle Smith and other Wildrose MLAs. “This is a “When we have our children, they’re 18 when we failed socialist shackles of the NDP!”
conservative” policies and ideals. takeover by the PC party,” said one naysayer. Others wean them,” said a woman at a table mid-room. “We “Let the word spread,” he shouted. “Hope is on
Wildrose leader Brian Jean reached out to these said the Wildrose could win the 2019 election on have one segment of our population that we have the way!”
“centrist” conservatives. “Gone are the days when their own. “A cow wouldn’t vote for the NDP right not weaned for generations. We need to cut a total
hard right governments are going to be successful now,” said long-time member Dave Craig. “The department out of the government, and that is the “FOR THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION TO
in Alberta,” Jean told Calgary Sun columnist Rick Wildrose hasn’t been given a chance.” worst leeches that we have: Indian Affairs.” This got succeed,” said Danielle Smith, the former leader of
Bell, just days before the unity vote. “Albertans want The results of the vote wouldn’t be announced the loudest clapping of all. the Wildrose, in an interview with Global News, “it
a common sense, middle-of-the-road government.” until 4 p.m. So to help fill the day, a Special General “OK,” said Hunter. He sidled back toward the needs to embrace a broad spectrum—Jason Kenney
The unexpected comment got attention. At a Jean- Meeting Agenda—available to all—listed speakers podium, talking all the way. “If we had time, we could and Sandra Jansen should be able to be under
led rally for unity in Calgary on July 18, I spoke who would give presentations in the Cascades probably go around this room and come up with 50 the same tent if there’s going to be a large enough
with long-time PC member Norman Schachar and Ballroom, a large room peppered with round tables different ideas about how to fix our budget,” he said. coalition to win.”
WI LL G E I E R
his wife, Kathy. Schachar is a professor emeritus of and a podium way at the front. The first speaker was “We’ve got to get back to where the people are.” All three UCP leadership candidates claimed to
surgery at the University of Calgary. “I’ve always John Robson, a National Post columnist and, at the In late afternoon in the main ballroom, represent such a “big tent” party. Doug Schweitzer, a
felt the Wildrose was made up of people who are time, a contributor to Rebel Media—Ezra Levant’s Strathmore-Brooks MLA Derek Fildebrandt—who former campaign manager for PC leader Jim Prentice,
4 6 j a n ua r y / f e b r ua r y 2 01 8 albertaviews.ca 47
FE AT U R E T H E TA K EOV E R
called for greater equity for women and LGBTQ+ taken down. Few in the BMO Centre were aware
people. He also proposed cuts to business taxes and this had happened, and if the Kenney supporters
a lower minimum wage. Brian Jean, calling himself knew, they didn’t hold back when the result was
a “positive” and “moderate” candidate, promised to read from the stage. “Woo-hoo!” shouted MLA
balance the budget, starting with $2.6-billion in cuts Jason Nixon, standing in the cheering crowd near
to public services. Alberta’s current annual deficit is Jeff Callaway and Kenney’s campaign manager, John
over $10-billion, Weissenberger. “Yeaaaah!”
archive: The PC dynasty
but Jean didn’t say At the time, the UCP claimed 106,000 members.
topples (Jul/Aug 2015)
albertaviews.ca/archive
where he would About 55 per cent of them—58,219—voted in the
find the other leadership race. Among conservative Albertans who
$8-billion or so in savings. That amount happens did not vote were former PC leadership candidate
to be “the approximate cost of Alberta’s entire K–12 Richard Starke, who refused to join the UCP after
education system,” as Public Interest Alberta’s Joel the July unity votes, and MLA Rick Fraser, who
French noted. resigned from the party to sit as an Independent
In contrast, Kenney didn’t get tangled in details. the day after the first leadership debate was held in
He signed a “grassroots guarantee” pledging that Calgary on September 20.
party members, not the leader, would decide UCP At that debate, Doug Schweitzer—who got a
policies. The only candidate to not attend Calgary’s mere 7.3 per cent of the final vote—said, “we need
2017 Pride Parade, Kenney said conservatives to get the social issues right” so that matters such
who did not join the UCP were “folks who are not as the UCP stance on gay–straight alliances in
comfortable in a big tent. They’re not comfortable schools wouldn’t turn voters off the party. Kenney—
with a diversity of opinions. They want an echo endorsed by Campaign Life Coalition, an anti-
chamber. They want to live in a partisan pup tent.” abortion lobby that claims “gay people are not born
The UCP membership had a choice. On October that way”—had previously told the Calgary Herald
28, 2017, after five leadership debates and three that parents should be notified if their children join
days of phone and online voting, Kenney won the a gay–straight alliance. Critics called this “outing.”
UCP election with 61.1 per cent of the vote on the Kenney didn’t address the issue at the debate. But he
first ballot. Some 15 minutes before the official did say what he would do as premier.
announcement, the results were posted to the UCP “I would appoint a minister whose sole focus is
website—and tweeted by journalists—then quickly deregulation,” said Kenney, promising “a period of
20
sustained fiscal restraint” to balance the budget. “We
made sacrifices in the 1990s,” he said, in reference
to the Klein-era cuts to public services, “and we’re
going to have to make some sacrifices again.”
At least two polling firms, ThinkHQ and
Political Expressions Mainstreet Research/Postmedia, predicted Jean
would win more seats than Kenney in a provincial
election. But online social conservatives—and Jeff
…that only an Albertan would understand. Callaway—relentlessly criticized Jean for supporting
“middle-of-the-road government.” Jean got 31.5 per
“Think like owners” Skypalace cent of the vote. After posing with a triumphant
Kenney, he walked off the stage, sat down next to his
King Ralph Ghost riders in the sky
mother and held his head in his hands. Then he and
Alberta Advantage (a.k.a. false passengers)
his wife quickly left the building.
Martha and Henry Aura of power As Kenney shook hands with supporters at the
“Severely normal” “Bring Your Wife’s Pie!!” “Math after-party in the hall, UCP MLAs—almost all of
“Dinosaur farts”
is hard,” “Look in the mirror” and them former Wildrose MLAs—who had supported
“buddy you are being set up” Kenney during the campaign got onstage for a group
“Shoot, shovel and shut up” photo. Derek Fildebrandt, facing a hit-and-run
People’s Republic of
Ralphbucks Albertastan charge and now sitting as an Independent MLA, was
No-meet committee Nötley Crüe among them, along with Grant Hunter and Drew
Bozo eruptions vs. #kudatah Barnes—11 MLAs in total. They grinned. Cameras
flashed. “These are the 11 smartest guys in Alberta,”
Lake of fire jobkillingcarbontax
said Nixon to the photographers with a smile. #
Tobaccogate Derek Fildepockets
Tadzio Richards is an associate editor with Alberta Views.
4 8 j a n ua r y / f e b r ua r y 2 01 8
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