Premiership of Jason Kenney

This article is about Jason Kenney's time as premier of Alberta and his policies. For the membership of the ministry and cabinet, see Kenney Ministry.

Jason Kenney
Premiership of Jason Kenney
April 30, 2019 – October 11, 2022
Jason Kenney
CabinetKenney Ministry
PartyUnited Conservative Party
Election2019 Alberta general election
Appointed byLieutenant Governor of Alberta
SeatEdmonton
Official website

The premiership of Jason Kenney spanned from April 2019 until October 2022, when Jason Kenney and his cabinet were sworn in by Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Lois Mitchell. Kenney was invited to form the 30th Alberta Legislature and became the 18th Premier of Alberta, following the 2019 Alberta general election where Kenney's United Conservative Party (UCP) won a majority of seats in the Alberta Legislature leading to the resignation of Premier Rachel Notley. Kenney stepped down as leader of the UCP party on May 18, 2022, after receiving 51.4% of the UCP party members' votes. His premiership ended shortly after Danielle Smith won the subsequent leadership election and was sworn in as premier.

The approval rating for Premier Kenney's response to the COVID-19 pandemic is the lowest in Canada, falling to 33% in June 2021.[1][2][Notes 1][3] By December 1, 2020, Kenney's overall approval rate among Albertans had dropped to 30% from 60% in September 2019.[4][5] In March 2020, the reasons for the drop in popularity had included the UCP's response to the 2020 Canadian pipeline and railway protests—including the bill targeting those who disrupt critical infrastructure with severe penalties. Other concerns included aggressive cuts in the 2019 and 2020 budgets designed to balance the budget and support the oil and gas sector. Reductions to funding for post-secondary institutions and to municipalities and the freeze on spending on health and public schools also raised questions. The provincial government unilaterally changed the way doctors could bill the province and warned that there would be freezes or cuts to government employees in the spring of 2020. Concerns were raised about the cost of the Canadian Energy Centre and about the March 4 decision to "fully or partially [close] 20 provincial parks and seeking "partnerships" for 164 more." The bill that targeted those who disrupt critical infrastructure with severe penalties also raised concerns.[5]

By April 7, 2020, a combination of interconnected unprecedented global events—including the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, the COVID-19 recession, the 2020 stock market crash, and the 2020 Russia–Saudi Arabia oil price war with the resulting "collapse in oil prices"—represent what Premier Kenney called "the greatest challenge" in Alberta's "modern history, threatening its main industry and wreaking havoc on its finances."[6]

By April 19, 2020, as the collapse in the price of oil worsened, Alberta's benchmark crude oil—Western Canadian Select (WCS)—descended to negative pricing. By May 2021, the price of WCS had increased to $USD54.78, representing an increase of $USD40 a barrel compared to June 2020.[7]

By January 7, 2021, faced with the controversy related to international visits undertaken by members of the caucus and the cabinet, as well as key staff, during the pandemic. Alberta, at one point, had the highest total COVID-19 case in Canada. In response, the UCP experienced a "sharp decline" in the polls.

Alberta intends to join TC Energy in their $15 billion North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Chapter 11 claim against the United States over the Keystone XL pipeline cancellation, according to a July 7, 2021 Financial Post. This represents a potentially very expensive and very long legal challenge, which the US has never lost.[8]

Of the Albertans surveyed on their voting intentions for the 2023 provincial elections—41% said they would vote for the NDP, 30% for the UCP, and 20% for the Wildrose Independence Party, according to a June 2021 Angus Reid Institute poll.[9][10] The UCP government also ranked lowest in Canada in its response to COVID-19, with only 33% of Albertans approving of their response as of June 2021.[9] Faced with a potential caucus revolt, Kenney called for a leadership review on May 18, 2022, where he would go on to receive 51% approval from the party membership. While technically sufficient for him to remain leader of the party under the United Conservative Party's constitution, Jason Kenney nonetheless announced, moments after the results were released, that he would resign as UCP leader, and Premier of Alberta (albeit he will only formally leave office once the party elects a new leader). Reuters described his leadership style as "uncompromising", "tenacious" and "combative".

  1. ^ Fedor, Tyson (June 9, 2021). "Kenney's approval rating lowest in the country: Angus Reid poll". CTV News. Calgary, Alberta. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Hudes, Sammy (April 9, 2021). "As Kenney's COVID approval sinks, experts call it a situation of his own creation". Calgary Herald. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference CityNews_20200813 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ White, Ryan (December 1, 2020). "Kenney's approval rating continues to slide as pandemic progresses: poll". CTV Calgary. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Kenney's popularity drops below 50% in latest Angus Reid poll". CBC News. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  6. ^ Orland, Kevin (April 7, 2020). "Alberta Premier Kenney sees negative oil prices, $20-billion deficit in 'the greatest challenge of our generation'". National Post via Bloomberg News. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  7. ^ Monthly Western Canadian Select oil price 2021. Statista (Report). June 28, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference FiPo_Morgan_20210707 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference angusreid_20210609 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference CTV_20210109 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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