It wasn’t even the New Year yet when the first major Alberta political story of 2026 broke – the New Year’s Eve announcement by Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz that she’s leaving her cabinet post immediately and will quit as MLA for Calgary-Shaw in May.
Is Ms. Schulz getting out of Dodge before Premier Danielle Smith lays waste to the place and goes down in history as Confederation’s biggest human disaster, does she have some kind of alternative ambition, or is something else afoot?
At the moment, it’s hard to say. There’s lots of idle speculation on social media, but what actually prompted Ms. Schulz’s resignation, which takes effect Friday, is far from clear. Immediate media speculation that this has something to do with an early election call is too easy since an early election is expected anyway. Ms. Schulz is said to have told cabinet of her intentions last Friday.
Ms. Schulz was one of the more credible candidates to replace Jason Kenney after the Qanon-influenced Take Back Alberta crowd ran the first UCP premier out of town on a metaphorical rail in 2022 – although almost anyone in that contest was more credible than the eventual winner, Ms. Smith.
During the leadership campaign, Ms. Schulz cast herself as a kinder, gentler sort of Conservative leader, promising to deliver “compassion and common sense in addition to conservative values.”
No sooner had she lost and been appointed to cabinet as municipal affairs minister by the new premier, though, than Ms. Schulz began to transform herself into Ms. Smith’s Mini-Me, aping the premier’s over-the-top rhetoric. After being given the environment portfolio in 2023, she acted more like an alternative minister of energy than the minister responsible for the environment and protected areas like the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Ms. Schulz is the subject of an active recall campaign in Calgary-Shaw, but it seems far-fetched to imagine that it could succeed, especially with the idea a 2026 election is in the offing quickly becoming conventional wisdom.
There were few hints in her anodyne resignation letter, which she posted to social media as a way to announce her plans to the public.
“Timing is everything in life and in politics, and it is time for me to seek new opportunities in my career,” she wrote, without a hint of why this particular time or what opportunities might await her.
“The unity campaign is what drove me to get involved with Alberta politics,” she added in the letter, “after seeing firsthand how radical policies devastated our province and its economy.” Oh, please! Ms. Schulz is too smart to really think Rachel Notley’s NDP government ever did anything radical, let alone anything that devastated the economy. She speaks, of course, of the unity of the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties, not of Canada and Alberta.
Good old fashioned political ambition, it is said here, is much more likely what drove her to get involved in Alberta politics. Never forget that Ms. Schulz was a communications aide to conservative Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall from 2009 to 2012, and he enthusiastically supported her ambitions in 2022.
No, if Ms. Schulz isn’t dealing with a personal circumstance that we haven’t been told about, I think we can be confident that this is a calculated move to achieve a particular goal – either to avoid being associated with a major policy disaster or to advance her career on some other front.
In 2022, Ms. Schulz was endorsed both by Mr. Wall and former federal Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose. Both are keen observers of Canadian politics no matter what you may think about their policy preferences, so it’s always possible Ms. Schulz got some forceful advice to put as much distance between herself and Ms. Smith as she can while she can.
She was first appointed to cabinet in 2019 as minister of children’s services by Mr. Kenney. He too may have given her sage advice about the risks of continuing to be too closely associated with Ms. Smith.
Whatever happened, Premier Smith said in her own social media announcement that Ms. Schulz would be replaced in the Environment and Protected Areas Portfolio by Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter.
No one should expect Mr. Hunter, the associate minister of water, to be able to turn water into wine in his new role.
Justin Wright, MLA for the nearby riding of Cypress-Medicine Hat, will replace Mr. Hunter as chief government whip, Ms. Smith also said.
Well at least Schulz didn’t say she was resigning to spend more time with her family, so that probably rules out marital or health issues.
Her comment about timing is a bit cryptic, but I feel it means she has realized it is time to get off the crazy train, if she wants a viable future in politics. The UCP remains an uneasy coalition of many right wing extremists and some moderate conservatives interested in staying in power. Schulz despite her efforts to adapt to the prevailing situaton is probably still in the latter group.
So I feel she has concluded she is not likely to get reelected with the UCP in its current form and/or they are not likely to get reelected.
The recall campaign now is also not helpful for her situation, so this may also be the elegant solution the UCP is looking for this problem. If a few MLAs most at risk of recall resign and by-elections are held, the UCP can avoid a more risky general election and the embarrassment of recall. I suppose there is a risk the UCP could lose some of those by-elections, but they at least still do have a cushion of a few seats in their majority.
It will be interesting to see if any other UCP MLAs decide to do what Schulz did and their timing. If they do, I suspect the resignations may be staggered so the by-elections don’t have to be held at the same time. It seems Smith has already realized how to use the timing of by-elections to her political advantage.
Ms. Shulz’s transformation from a moderate promising “compassion and common sense” into Danielle Smith’s “Mini-Me” sounds distinctly Elise Stefanik-like.
But in so many things with regard to right-wing populism, from Preston Manning in the 90’s to the takeover of a federal party in the 2000’s to Rebecca Schulz today, Alberta got there first.
How nice of the oligarchs to offer her a well-paid job just before she gets sacked in a recall petition.
That’s my guess. Loyalty rewards.
I agree with your assessment, B. For all her claims to be a kinder, gentler Kenney, she proved herself to be self centred.
Being a “kinder, gentler Kenney” is a very low bar to clear.
Either that or she finally figured out that she’ll never be party leader.
But, could be a credible candidate for leadership of the federal resurgence of a Conservative party once PP is gone. Could be soon.
Could this by chance be the start of a stampede of honorable people scrambling to get out of the UCP before it all comes crashing down? No doubt losing a few of the honorable ones will only make matters worse as we are left with more of the loony nut jobs. I wonder if Smith is going to campaign on her real agenda this time rather than last time being silent on separation, Alberta Pension Plan, Alberta Police Force and so much more? I think interesting is an understatement in todays politics.
She’s repositioning herself for a re-entry under the premise that it’s far better to run in an election, even a subsequent one, if you haven’t first had your image tarnished with the publicity involved in a recall and being dragged under Mar-0-laina’s election bus.
Who are these “honourable people” in the current UCP lineup? I thought that the last of them had left or been driven out ages ago.
“honourable” not honorable…with the 51st state menace we need to hang on to our Canadian heritage as best we can these days! 🙂
Maybe the clue is in Ms. Schultz’s replacement.
https://globalnews.ca/news/8583191/ucp-mla-grant-hunter-truck-protest-criticism/
Jason Kenney is gone. Doug Schweitzer is gone. Jason Copping is gone. Even the Take Back Alberta-affiliated organizers of the border blockade faced serious consequences within their own organization and the courts. One went on to join the board of a UCP constituency association. Grant Hunter, who supported the Coutts blockade, remains, true to the Peter Principle.
Danielle Smith is preparing her separatist-aligned cabinet for the spring election. Some will leave. Some will be forced out. Smith is more Trumpian by the day. Expect the worst and you won’t be disappointed. She has plenty of loyal Stoßtruppenin in her quest to destroy Canada. Which cabinet post will Shane Getson get? Ministry of Eradicating Cheezies and cartoons?
There’s been talk on social media that Shulz’s departure has more to do with grift than gripe. As a cabinet minister, she has to stay on the sidelines for one year before accepting a job in the private sector. One year without pay is a long time. However, by sticking around as an MLA for five months, taxpayers will be subsidizing a good portion of her one year hiatus. Given how many times she mentioned Kenney in her letter, odds are he has something to do with her new career plans.
I admit that’s a pretty boring rationale. I think we should start a rumour – considering that it’s one of the slowest news days of the year. Rumour has it that Schulz will challenge Pete Guthrie for leadership of the Alberta Tory Party! Once installed as leader, she’ll cross the floor to rejoin the UCP thus destroying the Tory brand and reuniting Conservatives. The old Trojan Horse ploy.
Floor crossing would be on-brand for any UCP member.
Remember when this communications specialist with no background in environmental issues went to COP to push Alberta bitumen and tell the world’s top climate scientists that they don’t know what they are talking about.
This women is a disgrace and a Canadian embarrassment. Good riddance!!
Here’s one more idle speculation, she’s being groomed for federal leadership, because the party as it stands under Millhouse is about to hand the liberals a majority via floor crossing, they’ve realized the entire country hates him and his Trump style politics (if Millhouse was a Maga chud) and there’s probably a lot of smart people who see their return to winning elections as being able to present some kind of leadership Canadians can get behind. If she played her cards right she would have lots of talking points, disingenuous though they may be. With her pedigree being what it is, and her backers being who they are it’s not that crazy of an idea. A few months of distance, an announcement a few more months of campaigning for the leadership vote that you know is coming…. I dunno who else do the conservatives have on their bench ? No one ?
Perhaps she’ll rejoin Jason Kenney’s team. He’s rumored to be throwing his hat in the ring for the federal Conservative leadership.
Let’s all hope that he attempts to run on his record as Premier of Alberta. A huge gift to political satirists all across the country.
I’m betting that she will show up on the boards of either Evolve Power Ltd. and/or Atrum Coal Ltd., or possibly Northback Holdings, in the next few months. After all, she’s served them well while in government.
Well, well, if this is indicative of what’s coming you guys have an interesting year ahead!
“Timing is everything in life and in politics, and it is time for me to seek new opportunities in my career,” she says – but what career? She’s a comms person like DJC and admits to having no career outside of politics since school got out so it seems to say she’ll go back to being a mouthpiece for some organization or resurface as a politician. I’m guessing the latter.
Her somewhat cryptic resignation letter says she got into politics because of the disunity (presumably of the provincial Conservatives) and the radical policies which devastated the province (presumably the NDP) adding “We cannot ever let that happen again.” This doesn’t sound like someone exiting politics, she didn’t even try to say something about time with family or whatever.
Not only resigning from cabinet but as an MLA in 5 months seems to be another indication of a spring election in AB. There may be some clarity to come but if Ms Schulz and maybe others are distancing themselves from the un-united UCP then the ABNDP needs to up it’s game and quickly to take advantage of it. Sun Tsu would say strike at the enemy when they are dis-united. Give Ms Smith lots to worry about.
always reminds me of
Big House Bunny (Warden Yelling Clips) youtube
for some reason
LOL
Right now im of the belief that Smith herself will announce her own retirement. This would be on point with her past behaviour, so why should she do anything now?
If we see more rats swimming away from the good ship UCP with similar departure dates, I think it safe to conclude an election is to be called for the spring and the UCP expects a real blood on the floor affair. I rather think urban dwellers on the whole are likely in a foul mood with Premier Ditzy. All that is needed is a split right wing vote. The government would then fall.
Maybe Schulz is the first proverbial rat to abandon the sinking ship. Possibly with an eye to returning to run for leader as a moderate because she has some prescience that the party is about to turf Dani because she’s gotten too extreme even for their tastes. Maybe she wants to distance herself from the separatist knuckle-draggers, again with her eye on a leadership run. Or maybe she’s just plain fed up with Dani, whose narcissism, authoritarianism and refusal to listen to anyone with a differing opinion probably makes her pretty hellish to work for. On another subject, how did Guthrie get to be leader of the rebranded Alberta Party? Did he just appoint himself? I know that the members weren’t consulted. Lukaszuk should be leading that party. If only!
Schulz comes from the younger Brad Wall squad in Saskatchewan and likely sees bigger opportunities to fleece Albertans and do more harm to Canada in the future. A great way to start the laborious task of getting rid of the UCP toxic waste that was imported. Perhaps she can cash in on the countless scams and schemes by her soulmate Trump, further South.
Good bye, Good riddance. Don’t let the door hit you in the….., on the was out.
I have theories as to what is behind this. The writing is on the wall for the UCP, and their corruption is about to end them. More and more UCP MLAs are likely ready to jump off of their sinking ship. Rebecca Schulz’s negligence as Children’s Services Minister could have been a role, after daycares had issues with E-Coli and hundreds of children got infected. There could be a lucrative posting someplace. It will be interesting to see what transpires in 2026.