The movement to unite the right in Alberta gained ground this weekend when the Alberta Conservatives chose Jason Kenney to be their new leader.

Kenney, who ran on the platform of uniting the Conservative and Wildrose into a single party that will take on the NDP government, won easily.  He took 75 per cent of the vote on the first ballot at the convention in Calgary.  

Kenney thanked the delegates in a speech following his win, saying they had "chosen the path of unity, of the future."  He said the party had, "decided to work with all Albertans to take our province back."

Wildrose leader Brian Jean congratulated Kenney in a statement which read in part, "As I've said for 18 months, Wildrose has its dancing shoes on when it comes to creating a single, principled, consolidated, conservative movement.  Our Wildrose team has actively been meeting with our grassroots to get feedback on the direction forward for our party and that work will continue."

Jean said he hoped to meet with Kenney on Monday to share more about the direction he's heard from Wildrose members.

Kenney replaces the late Jim Prentice as Alberta Conservative leader.  The Conservatives governed the province for over four decades before losing to the NDP in 2015.  

 

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