Liberal leader David Swann has announced he will be stepping down as the official leader of the opposition later this year.
“Upon careful consideration with my family and friends, I’ve made a decision to step down as leader of the Alberta Liberal Party following the spring sitting of the legislature,” Swann said during a brief press conference at the legislature Tuesday.
His announcement comes just one week after Premier Ed Stelmach announced he will step down as leader after the spring sitting, a move that kicked off an unofficial leadership race in the Tory party.
Two days later Finance Minister Ted Morton announced he was also stepping down to run as Conservative party leader.
Several others, including Doug Horner and Alison Redford, have said they are interested in running in the upcoming leadership race but have yet to confirm.
Swann said he will remain as MLA for Calgary-Mountain View in order to focus on two key issues: fixing the health care system and protecting the environment.
St. Albert city councillor and former Liberal MLA Len Bracko thanked Swann for his years of hard work as party leader.
“Politics at any level is not easy and being in opposition is extremely hard,” Bracko said.
“It’s going to be an exciting year for politics in Alberta in the next year or two.”
Once Swann steps down, the Liberal party will begin their search for a new leader.
“Let me be very clear, this decision was mine and mine alone,” Swann said on Tuesday.
He said the party had presented a strong vision for the province in a number of areas, including health care, the environment and oil and gas.
“Our caucus continues to hold the government to account on the issues that matter to the public,” he said.
“Nowhere is our commitment stronger than in the current crisis in health care.”
Stelmach thanked Swann for his years of service to Albertans as MLA and as opposition leader.
“Dr. Swann worked hard to represent the best interests of his constituents and his party as leader of the Official Opposition, and for that he deserves the gratitude of all Albertans,” he said in a statement.
“Although we did not see eye to eye on the issues, I commend Dr. Swann for his interest and efforts in maintaining civil political discourse, both inside and outside the legislative assembly,” he said.
“I wish him the very best in whatever path he chooses, with the respect he has earned.”
With the announcements from both Swann and Stelmach, NDP leader Brian Mason remains the only party leader to sit during the spring session who has not announced his resignation.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Mason told reporters on Tuesday, after Swann’s announcement.
“I have the strong support of my party,” he said.
Mason said he admired Swann and that his departure is a loss to Alberta politics.
“I don’t think there is any doubt that he struggled.”
