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'{{short description|Provincial political party in Alberta, Canada}} {{For|the historical political party in Chile|United Conservative Party (Chile)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox political party | name = United Conservative Party | abbreviation = UCP | logo = UCP_2023_Logo.png | logo_size = 250px | colorcode = {{Canadian party colour|AB|UCP}} | leader = [[Danielle Smith]] | president = Rob Smith<ref>{{cite web |title=Board |url=https://www.unitedconservative.ca/about/ |website=United Conservative Party |access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref> | foundation = July 31, 2017 | membership = {{nowrap|{{increase}} 123,915<ref>{{cite web |last1=Markusoff |first1=Jason |title=Why choosing Alberta's next premier largely lies in the hands of folks in Rimbey, Strathmore and Three Hills |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ucp-membership-riding-breakdown-analysis-1.6561359 |website=CBC |date=25 August 2022 |access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref>}} | membership_year = 2022 | ideology = authoritarianism|[[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in Canada|Canadian]])|[[Economic liberalism]]|'''Factions:'''|[[Social conservatism]]|[[Right-wing populism]]|<nowiki>[[authoritarianism (political doctrine)|Alberta name="CBC_Dryden_20200624"></nowiki>{{cite news |last1=Dryden |first1=Joel |title=2 'fair deal' panel members at loggerheads after report's release |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/fair-deal-drew-barnes-donna-kennedy-glans-alberta-at-noon-1.5618178 |access-date=24 June 2020 |agency=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=Jun 18, 2020}}</ref><ref name="CBC_Franklin_20200624">{{cite news |last1=Franklin |first1=Michael |title=UCP MLA Angela Pitt mulls idea of autonomous Alberta with social media post |url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/ucp-mla-angela-pitt-mulls-idea-of-autonomous-alberta-with-social-media-post-1.4978435 |access-date=24 June 2020 |agency=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=June 10, 2020}}</ref> <nowiki>}}</nowiki> | headquarters = 203-2915 21 Street NE<br />[[Calgary]], [[Alberta]]<br />T2E 7T1 | website = {{URL|https://unitedconservative.ca/}} | country = Canada | leader2_title = Executive Director | leader2_name = Dustin van Vugt | _subheader = Active&nbsp;provincial&nbsp;party | merger = {{unbulleted list|[[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta]],|[[Wildrose Party|Wildrose Political Association]]}} | position = [[far-right-wing]] | seats1_title = Seats in [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta|Legislature]] | seats1 = {{Composition bar|48|87|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|UCP}}}} | state = Alberta | parties_dab1 = List of political parties in Alberta | elections_dab1 = List of Alberta general elections | footnotes = }} The '''United Conservative Party of Alberta''' ('''UCP''') is a [[Conservatism in Canada|conservative]] political party in the province of [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]. It was established in July 2017 as a merger between the [[Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta]] and the [[Wildrose Party]]. When established, the UCP immediately formed the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|Official Opposition]] in the [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta]]. The UCP won a majority mandate in the [[2019 Alberta general election]] to form the government of Alberta.<ref name="BBC_30190417">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47901703|title=Right-wingers win Canada's Alberta province|work=BBC News|date=17 April 2019}}</ref> The party won a renewed majority mandate in the [[2023 Alberta general election]] under the leadership of Danielle Smith. ==Overview== In July 2017, the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and the Wildrose Party merged to form the United Conservative Party under the leadership of [[Jason Kenney]], a former cabinet member in the [[Stephen Harper]] government. Kenney had won the [[2017 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election]] on a platform of uniting the two parties.<ref name="CBC_Bellefontaine_20170317">{{cite news|last1=Bellefontaine|first1=Michelle|title=Wildrose 'not our enemies,' Kenney says in PC leadership pitch|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/wildrose-not-our-enemies-kenney-says-in-pc-leadership-pitch-1.4031007|access-date=March 17, 2017|work=CBC News|date=March 18, 2017|language=en}}</ref> == Background == When the [[Alberta New Democratic Party]]'s (NDP) won the [[2015 Alberta general election]], it ended an uninterrupted period in which the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta had won provincial elections since 1971, under Premiers [[Peter Lougheed]], [[Don Getty]], [[Ralph Klein]], [[Ed Stelmach]], [[Alison Redford]], [[Dave Hancock]] and [[Jim Prentice]]. No other government had served for that long at the provincial or federal level in Canadian history.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia_2019">{{Cite encyclopedia| last1 = Block| first1 = Niko| last2 = Marshall| first2 = Tabitha| title = United Conservative Party| encyclopedia = The Canadian Encyclopedia| access-date = November 18, 2021| date = 2019| url = https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/united-conservative-party}}</ref><ref name="edmontonsun_Gunter_20150506"/><ref name="List of MLAs">{{cite web|title=List of MLAs|url=http://www.albertapc.ab.ca/admin/contentx/default.cfm?h=10383&PageId=4|work=PC Alberta|access-date=April 18, 2013}}</ref> The Wildrose Party had formed in 2008 as a provincial [[political party]] in [[Alberta]], [[Canada]] with the merger of the [[Alberta Alliance Party]] and the unregistered [[Wildrose Party of Alberta]].<ref name="constitution">{{cite web|title=Wildrose Party Constitution |year=2014 |url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/wildrose/pages/2871/attachments/original/1421189870/Wildrose_Party_Constitution_2015-01-13.pdf?1421189870 |publisher=Wildrose Party |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115161541/https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/wildrose/pages/2871/attachments/original/1421189870/Wildrose_Party_Constitution_2015-01-13.pdf?1421189870 |archive-date=2015-01-15 }}</ref><ref name="CBC_20110626">{{cite news|title=Wildrose drops 'Alliance' from name|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/06/26/cgy-wildrose-meeting.html|work=CBC News|access-date=24 July 2011|date=26 June 2011}}</ref> Its members largely consisted of dissatisfied former Progressive Conservative supporters. Three of the first five Wildrose MLAs were defectors originally elected as Progressive Conservatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/alberta-election-pits-pcs-red-versus-wildroses-blue-conservatives-experts-say |title=Alberta election pits PC's 'red' versus Wildrose's 'blue' conservatives, experts say |first=Karen |last=Kleiss |date=April 9, 2012 |newspaper=National Post|access-date=2015-05-23}}</ref><ref name="Bratt2012">{{cite book|first=Duane |last=Bratt|title=Canada, the Provinces, and the Global Nuclear Revival: Advocacy Coalitions in Action|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LWinNZN_FGAC&pg=PA244|year=2012|publisher=McGill-Queen's Press(MQUP)|isbn=978-0-7735-4068-2}}</ref>{{rp|244}} Danielle Smith, who served as leader of the Wildrose Party from October 2009 until December 2014, made an unsuccessful attempt to merge the Wildrose and the PC party by resigning from the Wildrose and crossing the floor to join the governing Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta caucus under then Premier [[Jim Prentice]], along with eight other Wildrose MLAs.<ref name="CBC_20141217">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/9-wildrose-mlas-including-danielle-smith-cross-to-alberta-tories-1.2876412 |title=9 Wildrose MLAs, including Danielle Smith, cross to Alberta Tories |work=CBC News |date=December 17, 2014}}</ref> The remaining Wildrose Party refused to consider the request by Smith to dissolve their party. Then Wildrose President David Yager said at the time "This is not a merger in any way. It is capitulation."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Henton|first1=Darcy|title=Mass defection expected as Wildrose MLAs to join PCs|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/wildrose-party-president-vows-to-fight-backroom-deal-merger|publisher=Calgary Herald}}</ref> When the NDP won in 2015 an ''Edmonton Sun'' article blamed the mass Wildrose defections for the loss.<ref name="edmontonsun_Gunter_20150506">{{cite web|last1=Gunter|first1=Lorne|title=NDP lineup full of radicals|url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/05/06/lorne-gunter-ndp-lineup-full-of-radicals|publisher=Calgary Sun}}</ref> In the wake of the historical loss, uniting the Wildrose and PC parties became a major issue. In July 2016, federal MP and former minister [[Jason Kenney]] announced that he would seek the PC leadership on a platform of seeking a merger with the Wildrose. Kenney was [[2017 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election|elected PC leader on March 18, 2017]]. Negotiations between Wildrose leader Brian Jean and Kenney were successful; the merger agreement was released on May 18, 2017. The results of the July 22, 2017 internal votes on the merger agreement held by both parties<ref name="timeline">{{cite news|title=Conservative unity vote: A timeline|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/conservative-unity-vote-a-timeline|access-date=July 22, 2017|work=Edmonton Journal|date=July 22, 2017}}</ref><ref name="cbc">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-wildrose-pc-conservatives-merger-1.4121473|title=Alberta's Wildrose, PCs agree to create new United Conservative Party|publisher=CBC News|date=May 18, 2017|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref> supported the merger with 95% of Wildrose and PC members voting in favour.<ref name="mergevote">{{cite news|title=Wildrose votes yes to unity with 95% of the vote|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/wildrose-party-members-votes-95-5-per-cent-in-favour-of-joining-united-conservative-party|access-date=July 22, 2017|work=Calgary Herald|date=July 22, 2017}}</ref><ref name="cbcmerge">{{cite news|last1=Bellefontaine|first1=Michelle|title=Wildrose and PC members approve unite-the-right deal with 95% voting 'yes'|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/wildrose-unity-pcs-vote-1.4217598|access-date=July 23, 2017|publisher=CBC News|date=July 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-conservative-unity-one-step-closer|title=Wildrose-PC members to vote on new united party July 22|work=Edmonton Journal|date=May 18, 2017|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref> A joint meeting of the PC and Wildrose caucuses was held on July 24, 2017, to elect [[Nathan Cooper (Canadian politician)|Nathan Cooper]], Wildrose MLA for [[Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills]], as [[Interim leader (Canada)|interim leader]]—and hence Leader of the Opposition--<ref name="cooper">{{cite news|title=Nathan Cooper chosen as interim leader of United Conservative Party|url=http://www.cbc.ca/1.4219080|publisher=CBC News|date=July 24, 2017}}</ref> over [[Prasad Panda]], Wildrose MLA for [[Calgary-Foothills]], and [[Richard Gotfried]], who at the time was PC MLA for [[Calgary-Fish Creek]].<ref name="next">{{cite news|last1=Graney|first1=Emma|title=United Conservative Party: The next steps|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/united-conservative-party-the-next-steps|access-date=July 23, 2017|date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> As well, members of both caucuses approached the [[Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta]] and asked to be recognized as the United Conservative caucus.<ref name=cbcmerge/> Kenney and Jean selected six individuals each to sit on the interim executive board of the new party. Ed Ammar was elected as first chair of the party on July 24, 2017. Cooper also appointed two MLAs to the board as non-voting members. The new party was registered with [[Elections Alberta]] as of July 31, 2017.<ref name=next/> Although it was generally understood that the PC and Wildrose merged to form the UCP, Alberta electoral law at the time did not permit parties to formally merge or transfer assets between each other. Thus, the PC and Wildrose legally continued to exist, while the UCP was legally reckoned as a newly created party. As a result, on July 24, 2017–the day the new UCP formally came into existence–Cooper and the UCP's interim leadership team formally assumed the leaderships of both the PC and Wildrose parties as well. Also on that date, all members in good standing of the PCs and Wildrose became members of the UCP, with all but a few members withdrawing their memberships in the merging parties. The PCs and Wildrose withdrew from any meaningful public presence, thus ''[[de facto]]'' dissolving them although they continued to exist on paper. To maintain their registration and assets, both the PCs and Wildrose ran one paper candidate each in Edmonton-Strathcona (an NDP safe seat held at that time by NDP leader Rachel Notley). On February 7, 2020, after the UCP government passed legislation allowing parties to legally merge, Elections Alberta formally approved the merger of the PCs and Wildrose into the UCP, allowing the UCP to merge the legacy parties' assets and formally wind up their affairs. ==2017 leadership election== The [[2017 United Conservative Party leadership election|leadership election]] held on October 28, 2017 resulted in former PC leader Jason Kenney defeating former Wildrose leader Brian Jean and Doug Schweitzer, a former aide to [[Jim Prentice]], to become UCP leader. Kenney won more than 60% of the vote on the first ballot.<ref name=ken>{{cite web|author=James Wood |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/ex-mla-donna-kennedy-glans-enters-pc-leadership-race |title=Donna Kennedy-Glans joins PC leadership race |publisher=Calgary Herald |date=2016-09-08 |access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> Kenney successfully contested a by-election in [[Calgary-Lougheed]] on December 14, 2017, after incumbent MLA [[Dave Rodney]] resigned in order to give Kenney an opportunity to enter the Alberta legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/jason-kenney-gets-to-work-new-leader-upc-1.4377594 |title=Calgary MLA steps down to allow Jason Kenney to run for legislature seat |publisher=CBC News |date=2017-10-29 |access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> ==2019 provincial election== The UCP won the 2019 provincial election with a large majority, mainly on the strength of a near-sweep of Calgary (where it won all but three seats) and rural Alberta (where it won all but one seat). Under the [[Premiership of Jason Kenney]], their first cabinet of the [[30th Alberta Legislature]] was sworn in by [[lieutenant governor of Alberta]], [[Lois Mitchell]], on April 30, 2019.<ref name="thestar_Leavitt_20190430">{{Cite news |last1=Leavitt |first1=Kieran |last2=Maimann |first2=Kevin |date=April 30, 2019 |title=Jason Kenney sworn in as 18th premier of Alberta, names his UCP cabinet |url=https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/2019/04/30/jason-kenney-set-to-be-sworn-in-and-name-his-united-conservative-cabinet-tuesday-morning.html |access-date=November 19, 2021 |work=The Toronto Star |issn=0319-0781}}</ref> ==2022 leadership election== Jason Kenney resigned as UCP leader on May 18, 2022 after getting 51.4% support in a leadership review vote.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dawson |first=Tyler |date=May 18, 2022 |title=Alberta Premier Jason Kenney resigns as UCP leader after getting 51.4% support in leadership review |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/clock-ticks-down-on-jason-kenneys-political-fate-as-ballots-in-leadership-vote-counted }}</ref> [[2022 United Conservative Party leadership election|The 2022 United Conservative Party leadership election]] was held and was won by Danielle Smith. == 2023 provincial election == The UCP under Premier Danielle Smith was re-elected to government in the [[2023 Alberta general election]] with a reduced majority.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alberta election: Danielle Smith's UCP to form next government after tight race {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9731337/alberta-election-2023-danielle-smith-ucp-wins/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=What Danielle Smith's Alberta election win means for the rest of Canada {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9726716/alberta-election-results-canada-impact/ |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref> They lost their one seat in [[Edmonton]] to the NDP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UCP wins Alberta election but no Edmonton seats. What now? - Edmonton {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9734108/edmonton-no-ucp-seats-alberta-election-2023/ |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Williams | first1=Nia | last2=Bracken | first2=Amber | last3=Shakil | first3=Ismail | title=Alberta premier Smith takes aim at Trudeau after winning provincial election | website=Reuters | date=May 30, 2023 | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/alberta-heads-polls-with-canadas-green-agenda-balance-2023-05-29/ | access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Austen | first1=Ian | title=Alberta Election Sees Conservatives Keep Power After Hard-Right Turn | website=The New York Times | date=May 30, 2023 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/30/world/americas/alberta-canada-conservative-election.html | access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref> The election campaign had been close and one of the fiercest in Alberta's history.<ref>{{cite web | last=Taylor-Vaisey | first=Nick | title=In Alberta, a bruising campaign invites political chaos | website=POLITICO | date=May 28, 2023 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/28/alberta-premier-smith-notley-00099090 | access-date=September 6, 2023}}</ref> ==Fundraising== The UCP broke provincial records by pulling in $10.4 million in 2023, ending the election year with over $1 million in the bank, while the opposition NDP was $624,000 in debt.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Markusoff |first=Jason |date=April 11, 2024 |title=Danielle Smith takes UCP fundraising to new heights, while Alberta NDP strikes red ink |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/analysis-ndp-ucp-fundraising-elections-alberta-1.7171341 }}</ref> In the first quarter of 2024, the UCP raised $2,263,767 compared to the NDP who raised $1,011,739.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 8, 2024 |title=Elections Alberta Quarterly Reports - Party - 2024 |url=https://efpublic.elections.ab.ca/efEventQ.cfm?MID=FE_Q_2024_P&OFSFID=106&YEAR=2024 }}</ref> ==Controversies== ===2017 leadership race RCMP investigation=== On March 16, 2019, it came to light that during the UCP leadership election campaign Jason Kenney's leadership campaign collaborated with fellow candidate Jeff Callaway's campaign to undermine the leadership campaign of former Wildrose party leader Brian Jean.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/kenney-callaway-campaigns-collaborated-against-brian-jean-1.5059899|title=Kenney, Callaway campaigns collaborated to attack Brian Jean during UCP leadership race, leaked documents show|date=March 16, 2019|website=CBC}}</ref> A document prepared by Callaway's communication's manager describes how Kenney's campaign provided communications support as well as planned regular strategic direction throughout Callaway's campaign.<ref name=":0" /> The Alberta Elections Commissioner levied more than $200,000 in fines relating to the kamikaze campaign<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/election-commissioner-issues-more-fines-in-kamikaze-ucp-leadership-campaign/|website=edmontonjournal.com|access-date=2020-05-08|title=Election commissioner issues more fines in 'kamikaze' UCP leadership campaign}}</ref> prior to the Elections Commissioner's termination by the UCP government and conclusion of open investigations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/braid-ucp-pulls-the-rug-from-under-leadership-investigator/|website=calgaryherald.com|access-date=2020-05-08|title=Braid: In brazen move, UCP fires the commissioner investigating its leadership scandal}}</ref> The RCMP concluded their investigation into the 2017 UCP leadership race on March 8, 2024 and announced they were not able to find enough evidence to lay charges against any particular individual, though instances of identity fraud were found. "While the Alberta RCMP determined that there were suspected instances of potential identity fraud, there was insufficient evidence to charge any suspect, again there was no evidence that any leadership candidate orchestrated."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2024/alberta-rcmp-concludes-investigations-surrounding-the-2017-ucp-leadership-vote | title=Alberta RCMP concludes investigations surrounding the 2017 UCP Leadership Vote &#124; Royal Canadian Mounted Police | date=8 March 2024 }}</ref> ==Leaders== {{See also|2017 United Conservative Party leadership election|2022 United Conservative Party leadership election}} {| class="wikitable" |- |+ List of Leaders |- ! scope="col" | No. ! scope="col" | Leader ! scope="col" | Term |- |Interim |[[Nathan Cooper (Canadian politician)|Nathan Cooper]] |July 24, 2017 – October 28, 2017 |- | scope ="row" | 1 |[[Jason Kenney]] |October 28, 2017 – October 6, 2022 |- | scope ="row" | 2 |[[Danielle Smith]] |October 6, 2022 – present |} {| class="wikitable" |- |+ List of Deputy Leaders |- ! scope="col" | No. ! scope="col" | Deputy Leader ! scope="col" | Term |- | scope ="row" | 1 |[[Mike Ellis (Canadian politician)|Mike Ellis]] |July 25, 2017 – October 30, 2017 |- | scope ="row" | 2 |[[Leela Aheer]] |October 30, 2017 – 2021<ref>{{cite news |last1=Heintz|first1=Lauryn|title=Leela Aheer out as minister after Kenney shuffles cabinet|url=https://www.airdrietoday.com/rocky-view-news/leela-aheer-out-as-minister-after-kenney-shuffles-cabinet-3955326|access-date=24 October 2022|work=Airdrie Today|date=July 16, 2021}}</ref> |} == Electoral results == {| class=wikitable style="text-align: left;" |- ! Election ! Leader ! Votes ! % ! Seats ! +/– ! Position ! Government |- ! [[2019 Alberta general election|2019]] | [[Jason Kenney]] | 1,040,004 | 54.88% | {{Composition bar|63|87|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|UCP}}}} | {{steady}} 63 | {{steady}} 1st | {{yes2|Majority}} |- ![[2023 Alberta general election|2023]] | [[Danielle Smith]] | 928,896 | 52.63% | {{Composition bar|49|87|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|UCP}}}} | {{decrease}} 14 | {{steady}} 1st | {{yes2|Majority}} |} ==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://www.unitedconservative.ca/Content/UnityAgreementInPrinciple.pdf Unity Agreement in Principle] -founding document {{S-start}} {{Succession box | title = [[Government of Alberta|Governing party of Alberta]] | years = 2019–present | before = [[Alberta New Democratic Party]] | after = }} {{S-end}} {{Alberta provincial political parties}} {{Alberta politics}} {{Canadian Conservative Parties}} {{Wildrose Party}} {{PC Alberta}} [[Category:United Conservative Party| ]] [[Category:2017 establishments in Alberta]] [[Category:Conservative parties in Canada]] [[Category:Organizations based in Calgary]] [[Category:Provincial political parties in Alberta]] [[Category:Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta]] [[Category:Wildrose Party]] [[Category:Political parties established in 2017]] [[Category:Social conservative parties]]'