Political scientist weighs in on Kenney leadership rule controversy

A political pundit is lending his two cents to a fiery debate involving Jason Kenney’s run for the head of the PC Party.

New rules forbid any candidate from taking actions that would damage the party’s image, and some are saying Kenney’s plans to “Unite the Right” shouldn’t fly.

“You wonder how many of these rules were written in a vacuum and how many were written specifically to keep Jason Kenney out of the leadership,” Mount Royal University’s Duane Bratt said.

He says there’s been discussion on whether some of the retroactive financial disclosure forms, were also aimed at the leadership hopeful, who started campaigning in early July.

Bratt tells City News, there’s ammunition on both sides: critics are going to argue he’s causing harm to the PC brand.

“And Kenney’s people would say, look it, we’re not criticizing the PCs. We’re not saying they are a bunch of corrupt criminals. What we’re saying is to defeat the NDP, we need a new Conservative party,” Bratt explained.

But Kenney has yet to respond to Calgary PC MLA Sandra Jansen, who says she’ll quit if he wins the leadership.

Bratt says Jansen could provide an alternative figurehead for those who don’t want to see the Wildrose and PC Parties merge.

“Jansen was not a major figure in the Redford and Prentice governments. She’s only taken on a higher profile in opposition, because she’s one of the few progressives that’s in the party, that’s elected, still standing,” he said.

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