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United Conservative Party Leader Danielle Smith sworn in as Alberta’s new premier

Oct 11, 2022 | 12:03 PM

EDMONTON — Danielle Smith has become Alberta’s new premier.

Smith was sworn into office by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani in a ceremony at Government House in Edmonton.

Smith will also serve as intergovernmental affairs minister and plans to announce a revised cabinet on Oct. 21.

In her first remarks as premier, the United Conservative Party leader promised to govern on core values of freedom, family, faith, community and free enterprise.

She also promised to challenge the federal carbon tax and to introduce a sovereignty act that would reject federal laws deemed against the province’s interests.

The 51-year-old former Wildrose Party leader and journalist doesn’t have a seat in the legislature but announced over the weekend that she will run in a byelection in Brooks-Medicine Hat.

That seat became vacant when the constituency’s current representative, Michaela Frey, resigned on Friday.

Smith replaces Jason Kenney, who formally handed in his resignation as premier before Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony.

Smith won the UCP leadership race last week to replace Kenney as party leader and premier. Kenney announced he was quitting months earlier following an uninspiring 51 per cent vote of support in a party leadership review.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2022.

The Canadian Press