Jason Kenney elected new leader of Alberta Progressive Conservatives

The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta has a new man at the helm.

Former Calgary-Midnapore MP, Jason Kenney, took down his two rivals at the PC Leadership Convention in downtown Calgary Saturday.

Kenney was all smiles as the results were announced and he was called to the stage.

Jason Kenney 1113
Richard Starke 323
Byron Nelson 40

“Thanks to all of you for sending a message that this party has decided to work with all Albertans to take our province back,” said Kenney

“Today we have chosen the future, today we have chosen hope, today we have chosen unity, today it’s springtime in Alberta,” he added.

“This result sends a message to our fellow Albertans who are struggling, to those 2,000 Albertans looking for work … we are going to ensure there is a government of Alberta on your side.”

Kenney told the audience their party has chosen to make history and send a clear message, that today would be the end of “this disastrous socialist government.”

“You have decided, we have decided, to ensure the defeat of this tax-hiking, job killing, debt-loving, mean-spirited, incompetent NDP government,” he said. ”

We Albertans are going to unite to take our province back,” he added.

He received roars from the crowd as he pledged his first job as premier would be to introduce bill #1, a bill to repeal the Carbon Tax act.

Kenney appeared to appeal for unity within his base and admitted he knows not everyone is going to be happy with these results.

“To all of you who voted for other candidates today, allow me to express my great esteem for Richard Starke and Byron Nelson and Donna Kennedy Glans, all fine Albertans dedicated to this province. The decision taken today is not a vision shared by every member of this party, so for those of you who have anxieties about the prospect of unity, I want to sit down and hear you, listen to you and get your input on what a united party should look like.”

Kenney says he wants to make sure those who have different views are heard from and respected.

The new leader of the Progressive Conservatives will meet with the board Sunday morning and then address the media later in the day.

Party president Katherine O’Neill applauded the results and tells reporters she’s looking forward to getting down to work.

O’Neill says she has to sit down with Jason Kenney and map the next steps towards unity.

“I have not looked at any kind of proposal, so until we have some really good ideas about how this might roll out, I’m not going to make any comments because I just don’t know what it is,” she said.

“But I’m very committed to helping our leader fulfill the will of the membership that was clearly demonstrated here today,” O’Neill added.

O’Neill adds in the end, it’s the membership who will make the decision and it will be her board’s job to help them implement it.

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