Today, The Honourable Ed Stelmach M.L.A. (Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville), the Premier of Alberta announced that he will not be seeking re-election--and, moreover, he announced that he will launch a leadership contest before the next provincial general election. This would need to happen some time within the next two years or so, then.
The premier announced the decision to avoid one of his key ministers, The Honourable Ted Morton M.L.A. (Foothills-Rocky View), the Minister of Finance and Enterprise, from announcing his own resignation. The Minister has been pushing to rein in the province's deficit spending, which the premier has resisted; the disagreement has apparently come to a head. Mr. Stelamch apparently stepped down in order to prevent the damage that a leadership race between Mr. Morton and himself might have caused to Her Majesty's Government for Alberta.
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta has governed for four decades.
The premier announced the decision to avoid one of his key ministers, The Honourable Ted Morton M.L.A. (Foothills-Rocky View), the Minister of Finance and Enterprise, from announcing his own resignation. The Minister has been pushing to rein in the province's deficit spending, which the premier has resisted; the disagreement has apparently come to a head. Mr. Stelamch apparently stepped down in order to prevent the damage that a leadership race between Mr. Morton and himself might have caused to Her Majesty's Government for Alberta.
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta has governed for four decades.
