By Chris Brown

Michelle Rempel Garner won’t run for UCP leadership

Jun 23, 2022 | 11:04 AM

A popular name among conservatives as the next leader of the United Conservative Party will not enter the race.

In a statement, Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner says she is not running for the leadership, citing concerns about party unity and the short time frame needed to address the issue before the general election in 2023.

“From what I’ve heard over the last few weeks, there is a significant level of hurt and uncertainty in the UCP caucus team. I can sympathize. As a member of the federal CPC caucus, we’ve gone through three consecutive election losses, two leadership resignations, and one leadership removal in the last seven years.”

She says the UCP and the federal party have done a lot of good work but “in both parties there have also been squabbles that have erupted in the pages of national media, public meltdowns, nearly missed physical fights, coups, smear jobs, leaked recordings and confidential emails, lack of consensus on critical issues, caucus turfings, people harassed to the point where they resign roles, and hours long meetings where members have been subjected to hours of public castigation.”

Rempel Garner also says the waiver from the party needed to run for the leadership due to a lapsed membership also gave her pause. Some party members supported granting it while others were opposed, which she calls an attempt to scuttle a minor issue that is within the rules.

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“Bluntly put, I’m concerned about what would happen if I stepped in as leader under the present internal UCP caucus dynamic, especially considering we would need to govern while preparing for a rapidly approaching general election.”

She says not running “has been the hardest decision I have ever had to make.”

Rempel Garner, who says she will seek re-election as an MP, was considered a frontrunner to replace Premier Jason Kenney even though she hadn’t entered the race.