Albertans have spoken and elected UCP leader Danielle Smith as the next leader of the province.As of 11:40 p.m. the UCP was leading or elected in 50 ridings compared to 37 for the NDP.A total of 1,431,064 had been counted with the UCP holding the edge in the popular vote 53% to 44%Monday's results started off well for the UCP and they never looked back."To paraphrase our old friend Ralph Klein, welcome to another 'Miracle on the Prairies,'" a jubilant Smith said at UCP headquarter in the Big Four Building."It is time to put partisanship, divisiveness and political attacks in the rear view mirror. I believe Rachel Notley is a loyal Albertans who loves this province as much as I and we all do. My oath is to serve all Albertans no matter how you voted. I won’t be perfect, of course, we all know that, but when I make a mistake I want to learn from it so I can be a better leader."Smith but PrimeMinister Justin Trudeau on notice and vowed to fight Ottawa on restrictions for natural gas-fired power.“Hopefully the Prime Minister and his caucus are listening tonight," Smith said.A defeated NDP leader Rachel Notley vowed to stay of and fight as leader of the opposition."Where we fell short, the responsibility lies with me. We value accountability It’s my honour and privilege to continue to serve as your leader of the official opposition. I ask you to commit to a government that prioritizes the needs of all Albertans," said Notley at the NDP's Edmonton headquarters."It’s not the time to let up, it’s the time to step up"During Smith's bid to become the next premier, she said in the May 18 debate Notley was not running on her former record as premier.“I noticed the Alberta NDP likes to show grainy videos and things I said while I was on the radio, and the reason she does this is she doesn't want to run on her record and the reason she doesn't want to run on her record is because it was an absolute disaster,” Smith said.Now Albertans made the choice that Smith will steer the province.It appears NDP leader Rachel Notley got a failing grade for the Alberta NDP’s plan to hike business taxes 38%.The UCP said it has a plan focused on what matters most to Albertans: a strong economy, affordability, safer streets, and improved healthcare.The UCP said the plan includes balanced budgets and a projected surplus of $3.48 billion over a four-year term, and it will deliver on these priorities for Albertans.“The UCP has a responsible plan for Alberta, and that starts by lowering taxes for all Albertans, supporting our economy through our Job Growth and Diversification Strategy, and making our communities safer with our Safe Streets Action Plan,” said Smith.“Unlike the NDP, our fully costed platform won’t shut the door on job creators or investors. The UCP platform will continue to grow and diversify our economy while keeping taxes low for families and entrepreneurs.”When the UCP was elected in 2019, its first action was to lower taxes for Albertans by axing Rachel Notley’s carbon tax. The UCP said it then cut taxes for Alberta job creators from 12% to 8%. The UCP claimed a lower tax rate is expected to generate a record $6.4 billion this year, proving “hiking taxes isn’t the answer.”Smith will officially be sworn in as premier in the near future.
