UCP constituency associations call for leadership review of Jason Kenney before March 1

At least 10 United Conservative Party constituency associations have passed a motion calling on the party to hold a leadership review of Jason Kenney before March 1, instead of April 8 and 9.

Three confidential sources, who have not been authorized to speak publicly by the party or who fear retaliation, confirm that a motion has been circulating for several weeks among the constituency associations (CAs). 

Joel Mullan, who has recently been expelled from the party's provincial board, as well as a second source, said that at least 10 constituency associations have adopted the motion.

At least 22 CAs are required to pass the motion to force the party to act on it.

The motion calls on the provincial executive of the party to hold the leadership review before March 1.

However some party members feel an April leadership review will be too late. The motion also demands that an independent audit firm handle the voting process, to "ensure the security of the voting system."

The UCP's director of communications, David Prisco, says that the April leadership review "is booked and planning is underway. In order to vote in the review, members must register and attend the AGM in-person as per the party constitution."

He adds that the party has made no decisions yet on the process of the vote itself.

Jason Kenney is currently facing intense pushback from his caucus and party for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

'Ensure the security of the voting system'

Some members of the UCP also fear that the integrity of the leadership vote could be compromised. The RCMP are still investigating potential identity theft during the 2017 UCP leadership vote, in which Jason Kenney was elected.

CBC/Radio-Canada reported then that dozens of party members had their voting PINs stolen from them through fake emails.

The party was then responsible for managing those PINs, but the vote was audited by the firm Dorward & Co.

A partner of that firm was David Dorward, a former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister and later a major UCP donor. He was defeated as a UCP candidate in the 2015 provincial election.