UCP fires executive who called for Kenney leadership review

Joel Mullan was fired as the United Conservative Party's vice president of policy in September 2021.

EDMONTON — The United Conservative Party official who publicly called for a leadership review of Jason Kenney has been fired.

The party’s former vice president of policy, Joel Mullan, confirmed to CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday his position had been terminated.

He called the development a big weight off his shoulders.

According to Mullan, UCP board members were upset that he leaked his letter requesting an early review of Kenney’s performance and questioned his conduct.

He later wrote an op-ed calling for Kenney to resign.

Mullan said he “wasn’t being more of a yes man,” but defended his actions as those of a private citizen.

The party's director of communications said Mullan was removed by a board of directors vote for breaking the UCP's code of conduct and confidentiality agreement.

"These standards were created by our democratically-elected board to ensure everyone who is involved in these positions can speak freely at meetings without fear of their comments being made public.

"It is abundantly clear that Mr. Mullan did not live up to that standard," Dave Prisco said in a statement.

Mullan said Alberta’s premier was not in the room when he was let go, but if “he (Kenney) was opposed to it (termination), then it wouldn’t have happened.”