Photo: Todd Loewen / Facebook / Chris Bolin Photography

By Shaun Penner

Loewen not regretful, looking ahead following removal from UCP caucus

May 15, 2021 | 11:30 AM

Todd Loewen says he was not completely caught off guard when his fellow United Conservative Party caucus members voted to remove him from the caucus Thursday evening.

The Central Peace-Notley MLA posted an open letter to his Facebook page less than 24 hours prior, calling for the resignation of party leader, Premier Jason Kenney, while also stepping down as UCP caucus chair.

“Obviously, I came out pretty strong, so I thought that was a possible, maybe even a likely outcome,” said Loewen, who spoke with EverythingGP Friday.

In his letter posted just before midnight on Wednesday night, Loewen pointed to several “persistent problems” within the party, which he suggested were primarily caused by Kenney’s leadership.

Loewen, who has represented the area since 2015 in the legislature, accused Kenney of weak dealings with Ottawa, ignoring caucus members, delivering contradictory messaging, and botching issues such as negotiations with Alberta physicians and a controversy over coal mining on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

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That open display of resistance to party direction led the (then) 62 member UCP caucus to convene an emergency meeting Thursday, which included a vote on whether to retain or exile both Loewen and Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes.

Barnes has been vocal in his displeasure with cabinet’s decisions on public health restrictions in recent months.

Ultimately, their fellow UCP MLAs decided to remove them.

“There is simply no room in our caucus for those who continually seek to divide our party and undermine government leadership, especially at this critical juncture for our province,” said Caucus Whip Mike Ellis, in a statement issued Thursday evening.

“We look forward to moving ahead as a stronger, more united team.”

Loewen says that he has some concerns with how the voting was conducted, given the fact the meeting was happening virtually.

“This was set up so the chair of the meeting (Calgary-Currie MLA Nicholas Milliken) accepted text votes from the caucus members, and then tabulated them,” explained Loewen, noting that texting the chair would reveal who voted how. “As of yet, there have been no numbers given, which is another thing that’s a little strange, I think.”

“Not that I want to accuse anybody (of) mess(ing) with the numbers… but I think when people vote, the security of a secret ballot is knowing the nobody knows how you voted,” Loewen added. “I feel that was a very poor process for a decision that I felt was very big.”

Loewen said regardless of what the outcome was to be, he was going to continue to be the voice of his constituents to government, not the voice of government to his constituents.

That mindset, he explained, played a big role in why he chose to send the letter.

“My constituents have made (it) known loud and clear that they have lost trust in this premier,” said Loewen. “It was a situation where I felt good about going forward and representing my constituents.”

“I feel that I made the right choice there.”

The MLA, who represents communities like Valleyview, Fox Creek, Fairview, Spirit River, Falher and McLennan, will now sit as an Independent in the legislature.

But Loewen says just because he will no longer don UCP colours, that does not mean he will be rooting against the party he says he helped build over the past 13 years.

“I would hope that the party can win the next election. That is my hope,” said Loewen.

“I don’t believe that is possible under this leader.”

Loewen says not only does he feel Albertans have lost faith in Kenney, but party members are also jumping ship because of it.

“Members that have been really good and strong supporters have left the party for other parties, or just lost trust in it and just left,” Loewen said.

“Even our fundraising. Our fundraising was a disaster in the first quarter of this year. And that’s another sure sign that this premier is on the wrong track.”

As a former Wildrose member who played a role in bringing that party together with the Progressive Conservatives in 2017 to form the United Conservative Party, Loewen does believe there can be unity of the province’s progressive and social conservatives.

He just thinks it will not happen with who is leading the party right now.

“The party isn’t lost yet. I think the party can still recover from this, and that’s why I chose to do this at this time because we need to have time to rebuild the party and rebuild the trust of Albertans. And we need to get that started as soon as possible.”

Though it was not a moment of celebration for Loewen to be ousted from the party, he says he has been honoured and humbled by the showing of support from constituents since he posted the letter late Wednesday.

He says that helped him further realize he made the right choice for himself and those in the Central Peace-Notley riding.

“I’ve had at least five different mayors and reeves in the constituency reach out to me and support me in this,” said Loewen. “Obviously, not everybody is supportive, but the vast majority have been very supportive.”

The removal of Loewen and Barnes from the UCP leaves them with 60 seats in the 87-seat legislature. The NDP hold 24 of those seats, while three MLAs are sitting as Independents.