The political landscape in Alberta looks very different as Premier Allison Redford, under mounting scrutiny within her party and from the outside, resigned.
“Quite simply, I am not prepared to allow party and caucus in-fighting to get in the way of building a better future for our province and for all Albertans. And that is why I am announcing today that with a profound optimism for Alberta’s future I am resigning as premier of Alberta effective this Sunday evening,” she said in a statement shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday night.
“…to the people of Alberta, thank you for giving me the incredible opportunity to serve in the greatest job in this province,” She continued. “On election night two years ago, I pledged that we would govern with unity and build prosperity. Well, at least we got the prosperity part right.”
Leader of the opposition Danielle Smith made a statement shortly after Redford’s announcement.
“Premier Redford was elected to lead the PC party as an outsider. She wasn’t part of the old boys club. She was hailed as a new kind of leader who could fix what was wrong with the party and the government. A leader who could put the party’s problems behind her and fundamentally change what it meant to be a Progressive Conservative,” said Smith.
“I have no doubt that she intended to be that leader. And I have no doubt that Albertans had high hopes that she would be. But what we’ve witnessed during her short 29 months as Premier is the clearest indication yet that the PC party cannot be fixed.”