If you're a conservative these days, you swim with sharks. And the sharks are cannibals. Carson Jerema writes:
Alberta’s governing United Conservative Party has eaten itself.
The dismal 51.4 per cent approval rating that led Premier Jason Kenney to announce Wednesday that he will step down is a victory for a long-percolating revolt, one that came mostly from the party’s right wing. But this is no win for conservative politics in Alberta and could signal the movement’s shift further away from where voters are comfortable.
Kenney’s handling of the COVID pandemic irritated the more conservative elements of his caucus, who had been publicly criticizing him and calling for his resignation for months. While some of the dissent came from corners that believed Kenney wasn’t doing enough to quell the spread of COVID-19, it was driven chiefly by those who thought he was doing too much.
This is a faction that demands nothing less than ideological purity, with any deviation dismissed as unforgivable, even traitorous, socialism.
A Stephen Harper acolyte, Kenney ran the most conservative government in the country. But, for some Albertans, it wasn't conservative enough:
In the fall, a group of angry MLAs were expected to bring a vote of non-confidence, but they lost their nerve when it was clear they didn’t have the votes. But after a group of riding associations requested it, a planned fall leadership review was moved to the spring.
Somewhat controversially, the party executive altered the rules to make it a mail in ballot, which prompted howls the change was made for Kenney’s benefit. Whether that was true or not, it clearly didn’t matter. The unhappiness the party membership had with the premier was evident.
With Kenney gone, there is no guarantee a more ideological conservative leader will take over. A more moderate leader could force a split, while someone too far to the right may be unappealing to the average voter.
For the federal Conservatives, the fall of Kenney may serve as a cautionary tale. We'll see how that works out.
Image: newscientist.com
