Cory Morgan: Cabinet Selection, AGM Tone Show That Smith Has Learned From the Hard Lessons of 2015

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith arrives to speak at the United Conservative Party AGM as Brian Jean (R) and Travis Toews depart the stage at the River Cree Resort near Edmonton on Oct. 22, 2022. Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press

Commentary

Nobody saw Danielle Smith coming. She had spent over seven years in the political wilderness after having led a disastrous mass floor-crossing from the Alberta Wildrose Party to the Progressive Conservative Party in 2014. The move contributed to the shattering of Alberta’s conservative movement and the unexpected Alberta NDP majority win in 2015. Smith lost her own party nomination and moved on to become a talk radio host. When Smith announced her intention to run for the United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership last spring, few people thought she had a realistic chance of winning the race.