Positive vibe at Smith's first caucus, says Guthrie

Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie left Danielle Smith's first caucus meeting this morning with high hopes for the future.

He says it was an opportunity for the new premier to talk about unifying caucus, mending fences, and moving forward as a group.

"I'm looking forward to the positivity that Danielle brings to the team, and I think we have some really good things ahead of us," says Guthrie. "We do have a lot of work over the course of the next seven months before the election, but I do believe, especially after caucus this morning, we just had a really good, supportive, unified group there. It was fantastic to see."

Among those in attendance was Central Peace-Notley MLA Todd Loewen, who had been kicked out of the UCP caucus in May 2021. During her acceptance speech, Smith welcomed Loewen back to the fold.

Guthrie says it was fantastic to see him there after MLAs showed overwhelmingly support in an internal poll.

"It was so nice for Danielle to be able to stand up last night with that decision in hand and be able to bring him back. He did a great job of running for leader and unifying and bringing in new members. Hats off to Todd."

Guthrie, who was the first MLA to back Smith in her UCP leadership bid, had been vocal in his disapproval of the leadership being provided by Jason Kenny. He fired a blunt warning to the premier in November 2021 and it escalated from there.

That makes Smith's election especially pleasing to Guthrie.

"It was a real relief. This hasn't gone as I had expected over the last few years and I don't think anybody had expected us to be in the circumstances that we were for the last two years, but to see this come to fruition last night was just fantastic."

As part of Smith's team, he travelled the province in support of her bid between his duties as MLA.

"The feedback that we were getting was that she was really in tune with the membership. I think those six years on the radio provided her with the opportunity to be able to really listen and focus on constituents and their concerns, and that shone through in all of her meetings throughout the province. It was a good opportunity for me to be able to see and hear what people are thinking in all quarters."

Since the beginning of her campaign, Danielle Smith has apologized for crossing the floor to Jim Pentice's Progressive Conservatives in 2014, calling it a mistake. Guthrie says we better ourselves by facing and learning from our setbacks.

"I think that what went on with Danielle seven years ago and over the course of that time with being a radio host, and her time at AEG, has done nothing but prepare her for what she's about to face. I think she's going to meet it head-on and we're going to be successful in May."

Smith will be sworn in as Alberta's 19th premier on Oct. 11.