The UCP caucus is currently holding an emergency meeting to discuss a series of leaks, with several sensitive discussions finding their way to publication in the Western Standard in recent months. The leak of this story took place while the meeting to discuss the leaks is currently underway.

Two MLAs that spoke on condition of anonymity told the Western Standard said that Kenney called the emergency meeting with no formal agenda presented in advance, but that the meeting is currently focused on finding and potentially punishing the sources.

A significant number of UCP MLAs have been unnamed sources in recent Western Standard news stories, including three MLAs that said Kenney – when discussing attendees of the rogue rodeo in Bowden – told them, “If they are our base, I want a new base.”

MLAs were told attendance at the hastily called meeting was “mandatory.”

The drama started around midnight Thursday morning when Premier Jason Kenney’s leadership was dealt another serious blow as the first MLA in his own caucus called for him to step down.

Todd Loewen, UCP MLA for Central Peace-Notley in northwest Alberta, published a scathing letter around midnight in the first minutes of May 13, saying Kenney refuses to listen to the public and to caucus members, that his leadership has failed, and UCP supports have abandoned Kenney specifically.

Loewen used the letter to inform Kenney he was immediately stepping down as chairman of the UCP caucus.

The letter takes direct aim at Kenney’s caucus management, premiership, and leadership over the party. 

“I no longer believe caucus can function properly; meetings have been cancelled without members’ consent, significant decisions of government have been made without notice to members, and our input as elected members is rarely considered,” wrote Loewen. “Additionally, I feel it is best to resign this position [caucus chairman] to be able to speak freely.

“The government’s response to a hostile federal government has been perceived as weak and ineffective. Albertans have lost trust in the leadership of our government and are no longer willing to extend to us any benefit of the doubt on most issues.” 

Loewen’s remarks also took direct aim at Kenney’s personal leadership.

“The caucus dysfunction that we are presently experiencing is a direct result of your leadership. The people of Alberta have lost trust in this government because you have not brought needed balance and reason to the discussion. Albertans and our UCP party members deserve better,” he wrote.

“I thank you for your service, but I am asking that you resign so that we can begin to put the province back together again.”

The letter comes as Kenney’s leadership is already on the ropes. More than a dozen UCP constituency associations have already passed special resolutions demanding a leadership review, however Kenney poured cold water on the idea, pushing the vote to just six months before the next election. 

Growing caucus tension also bubbled to the surface when 17 UCP MLAs signed an open letter condemning Kenney for putting Alberta back under a third lockdown. Kenney’s dismissal of the letter led to a series of leaks from the UCP caucus, with several MLAs telling the Western Standard the premier threatened them with an early election if they did not have confidence in his leadership.

Soon after the rogue rodeo in Bowden, Alta. to protest the third lockdown, UCP MLAs told the Western Standard Kenney said in reference to the attendees, ““If they are our base, I want a new base.”

Kenney denied the story as “fake news” and said that the comments were only referring to people making death threats against him, but UCP MLAs told the Western Standard Kenney was “lying.”

This story will be updated as the caucus meeting continues.

Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard
dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com
Twitter.com/nobby7694

Erin O’Toole has admitted the Conservative Party was behind a social media ad that drew howls of disgust.

He confirmed the party took down the ad at the height of the outcry.

The ad was an attack on the Justin Trudeau government’s vaccine rollout across the country.

This week, in the latest setback, several provinces announced they were halting second injections of the AstraZeneca vaccine over fears of blood clots.

The ad showed people celebrating summer after having two shots of vaccine entitled “Two Dose Summer.”

That photo was placed atop of one called “Trudeau Summer” showing what appears to be a COVID-19 victim in rough shape in hospital.

“I didn’t think attack adds in Canada could go lower than the infamous Chrétien “face ad”…they may have just done so,” said a Twitter user identified as Red Moose.

“Long ago I reached the conclusion that the CPC doesn’t want the electorate to take them seriously. Why can’t Canada have a credible opposition?” said Wally Kibler.

“When this is all over and we are finally able to live a normal life remember that Erin O’Toole and his team mocked our collective efforts, as a society, with childish and mean attack ads in an effort to score a political point,” said Adam Bolt.

When question Friday, O’Toole didn’t say whether or not he personally approved the ad.

But he did say the tweet detracted the serious discussion about vaccine supply and reopening plans, which is why it was removed

Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard
dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com
Twitter.com/nobby7694

The CBC has lost its lawsuit against the Conservative Party of Canada over its use of CBC material in ads during the 2019 federal election.

In October 2019, the CBC served notice it wanted the Conservative Party of Canada and its executive director, Dustin Van Vugt, to acknowledge the party “engaged in the unauthorized use of copyright-protected material.”

The lawsuit alleged CBC clips used in CPC ads were “taken out of context and are edited and relied on to make partisan points for the benefit” of the party.

The clips were taken from The National and from the “Power Panel” segment of Power and Politics.

“The CBC has not established that it has suffered some adverse impacts from the Respondents’ use of its Works in the ‘attack ads’, nor should such adverse impacts be assumed,” said the ruling by Federal Court Justice Michael L. Phelan.

“The CBC expresses concern that its material is being used in a non-partisan way which affects its journalistic integrity and damages its reputation for neutrality.

“There is no objective evidence of the likelihood of any reputational damage. After all the years of political coverage in multiple democracies, there was no evidence presented that a broadcaster’s segment disclosed in a partisan setting reflected adversely on the broadcaster.

“The role of the CBC itself has been a political topic. There may be situations in the future where the manner of use and distribution of CBC material may adversely affect the CBC – however, that is not the case here.

“Given the Court’s findings that the Respondents’ use of CBC copyrighted material was for an allowable purpose and was “fair dealing”, this matter must be dismissed with costs at the usual scale.”

The ruling delighted Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre.

“CBC was supposed to cover the Conservative Party fairly during the election. Instead, CBC was launching a failed lawsuit against the party. Today, CBC lost that lawsuit. They should apologize for launching it & reveal the legal bills they charged taxpayers,” he tweeted after the ruling.

“CBC sued to stop Conservatives from using footage showing Trudeau in a bad light. The state broadcaster was protecting Trudeau, not copyright. Remember that next time you see another glowing CBC story about the Prime Minister.”

You can read the courts full judgement here.

Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard
dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com
Twitter.com/nobby7694