Alberta Premier Danielle Smith received 91.5 per cent support for her leadership from United Conservative Party members who voted in Red Deer, Alta., on Saturday.

“I am truly humbled and honored by the overwhelming support from our party members in your vote of confidence in my leadership,” Smith told the cheering crowd after the result was announced.

“Our conservative movement is stronger than ever. Our party is more united than ever.”

The party said 4,633 votes were cast in the vote. The result solidifies Smith’s leadership of Alberta’s ruling party and confirms that party members are in agreement on the direction Smith has taken in the province since taking over the party two years ago.

UCP member Ronda Grenier said she was impressed with Smith’s performance as party leader and was pleased with the outcome.

WATCH | Danielle Smith passed the leadership vote with flying colors:

Danielle Smith receives overwhelming support from UCP faithful

Alberta premier Danielle Smith faces leadership scrutiny at the United Conservative Party AGM in Red Deer, Alta., on Nov. 2, 2024, where she received an overwhelming 91.5 per cent vote in favor of her leadership. CBC’s Sam Samson was also there and has more information on how the party’s annual convention went down.

Grenier said, “He can express himself clearly. He stands behind what he says.” “He’s trying. And he’ll admit his mistakes.”

Grenier said Smith’s critics should give him more time.

“Nothing good happens fast,” Grenier said.

Rose Huebschwerlen was also pleased with the vote, calling it “a resounding success”.

“I totally believe in Danielle,” he said. “She’s the woman who will handle this.”

‘We are on the right track’

Earlier on Saturday, Smith made his bid to continue as leader, reminding nearly 6,000 members at the annual general meeting that the party must remain united to better the state.

“We’re on the right track,” Smith told a packed Westerner Center Saturday morning. “And we’ve only just begun.

“So let us remain united as a party and a movement, but let us not stoop to the level of our rivals by attacking each other, slandering each other, or splitting into factions.”

WATCH | Rally against UCP held in Calgary:

Calgary rally billed as broad coalition against UCP

The organizer of the Calgary rally says more than 1,000 people showed up to support transgender rights and other underserved Albertans.

He said the union would help fend off challenges from federal and state parties on the other side of the political spectrum.

“Our opponents – whether it be the NDP in Alberta or the Liberals in Ottawa – have no chance of beating us when we are strong as a party, united and lead our province boldly,” he said in his opening statement Saturday morning.

Smith’s speech was punctuated by resounding applause from the crowd. But two groups organized campaigns to vote against him.

The 1905 Committee and Take Back Alberta believe Smith did not go far enough in his campaign promises for the 2023 election. They say he hasn’t done enough to take responsibility for vaccine mandates and Covid-19-related business closures during the pandemic.

But David Parker Take Back Alberta He said he accepted the result because it represented the will of the party members.

“I think it probably should have gotten a slightly worse grade,” he said. “But at the end of the day, if that’s what the party thinks about him, that’s how the party thinks about him.”

Parker said Smith assisted him in attacks at town halls with UCP members across the state over the past few months.

“I think people want unity right now, they don’t want conflict,” Parker said. “It’s been a very difficult five years for the people in this room and they just want someone they believe will be a champion.”

Minister said it is time to unite

Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon said he wasn’t surprised by Smith’s high approval rating, as he had heard similar positive comments from his constituents.

“This is Danielle Smith’s party,” he said. “We stand strongly united behind our leader.”

As for the groups opposing his leadership, Nixon asked them to listen to what Smith said in his victory speech.

“It’s time for us to get back to being a united party, to focus on the things that unite us and stop focusing on the things that divide us,” he said.

“Obviously that’s where the majority of our members are.”

The party passed all 35 policy resolutions scheduled for debate this year by wide margins — in many cases, nearly unanimously.

The decisions cover a variety of issues related to transgender Albertans, including restricting “women-only areas” such as restrooms and locker rooms to “biological women who were female at birth” and designating gender-affirming procedures, such as top and bottom surgeries, as “elective cosmetic procedures.” It contained. Alberta is not covered by Medicare.

Party members also voted to abandon net-zero targets and recognize CO2 as an “essential nutrient for all life on Earth” rather than a pollutant.