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Todd Loewen launched his UCP leadership campaign Tuesday with a short speech promising to restore trust in the provincial government.
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The Independent MLA for Central Peace-Notley, Loewen took sharp aim at Premier Jason Kenney’s 2019 election campaign strategy — including his use of a blue Ram truck on the campaign trail.
“There’s been a lot of talk about blue truck politicians lately, but it’s time we had a leadership campaign about blue truck Albertans. By that I mean the everyday Albertans who go to work to provide for their families and grow their communities,” Loewen said at an event in Valleyview, about 350 km northwest of Edmonton.
Loewen is among five candidates who have declared their intentions to run with Elections Alberta, along with former culture, multiculturalism and status of women minister Leela Aheer, who announced Tuesday she would join the leadership race, former UCP finance minister Travis Toews, former Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith, Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche UCP MLA and former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean and Amisk Mayor Bill Rock.
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Loewen said Tuesday many have stopped trusting the UCP government to make good decisions for them.
“Albertans fully expect us to get back to the fundamentals of good accountable and ethical government. It’s time to get big money influences out of politics. It’s time to build a movement for the little guy,” he said.
His son Travis Loewen spoke at the event and compared being a politician’s son to being on a rollercoaster. Loewen said when his father deél was elected as a Wildrose MLA in 2015 he was “extremely proud,” but in the two years after the UCP government was elected in 2019, it became more difficult to defend the government’s missteps.
“For a variety of reasons, the rollercoaster was down,” said Loewen.
After criticizing Premier Jason Kenney, Todd Loewen was booted from caucus along with Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes.
“I know that my dad is committed to serving the people with honesty, integrity, and humility. I’m pleased to report, today the roller coaster is riding high,” Travis Loewen said.
The UCP has yet to release details of how the leadership race will be run or when the decision will be made, and candidates will still need to meet the requirements of the party’s leadership election committee before being considered official.