Rachel Notley Stepping Down as Alberta NDP Leader

NDP Leader Rachel Notley gives her concession speech in Edmonton on May 29, 2023. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

Rachel Notley is stepping down from her position as leader of Alberta’s NDP, which will trigger a leadership race for the party.

“Having considered what I believe to be the best interests of our party our caucus, as well as my own preferences. I’m here today to announce that I will not be leading Alberta’s NDP into the next election,” Ms. Notley said during a Jan. 16 news conference.

The former Alberta premier and current leader of the Official Opposition said she has no plans to step down as an MLA but will resign as soon as the transfer of leadership is complete.

“Right now what’s directly in front of me is the task of leading the caucus through the next session of the legislature and then doing everything I can to support the new leader when he or she is chosen when they are chosen. So that’s my focus right now,” Ms. Notley told reporters.

“Public service is a challenge, but it is also incredibly rewarding,” she said. “Rewarding in terms of making the kind of change that that you care about.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith thanked Ms. Notley for her service.

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“I would like to thank the Honourable Rachel Notley, MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona and Alberta’s 17th Premier, for her many years of dedicated service to her constituents and to all Albertans,” Ms. Smith said in a Jan. 16 post on X, formerly Twitter.

“Serving as Premier is an extremely demanding job, and she served in that office with an honour and dignity reminiscent of her late father, another honourable and loyal Albertan and public servant. I wish Ms. Notley all the best in her future endeavours and whatever comes next for her and her family.”

Premier Notley

Ms. Notley became premier of the province in 2015 and served one term, losing to the United Conservative Party (UCP) led by Jason Kenney in 2019. Mr. Kenney stepped down in May 2022 after narrowly winning a leadership review.

Ms. Smith won the UCP leadership race in October 2022. The UCP held onto power in the provincial election in 2023.

The NDP captured 38 of the 87 legislature seats and became the largest Official Opposition in provincial history.

Following the loss of the 2023 election, Ms. Notley said questions started to be raised about her future with the party.

“There’s no question that part of what drove my decisions around timing was the desire to lead our caucus through their procession to ensure that there is stability as 19 of the most credible and talented new MLAs that this legislature has ever seen,” she said during the conference.

“The opportunity to serve this party in this province has been the honor of my life. Over the last decade, Albertans have given me a tremendous opportunity to serve in this role and I’m so grateful the people of our province are bold, friendly, open, caring, and adventurous. I’ve learned so much from them.”

Ms. Notley’s father, Grant Notley, also belonged to the provincial NDP party and was elected leader of the party in 1968. In 1984, he was killed in an airplane crash.

“I was raised by both my father and my mother to believe that public service is something that you should strive for throughout your life,” Ms. Notley said.