Brooks mayor acclaimed as leader of Alberta Party

Barry Morishita, the mayor of Brooks, Alta., is the new leader of the Alberta Party.

He was acclaimed to the position after no other candidates put their names forward before nominations closed on Tuesday, the party announced on its website.

Morishita told Brooks city council last month that he would not stand again for mayor in the Oct. 18 election and that he was seeking the leadership of the Alberta Party.

Morishita resigned from his other major role: president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. 

Morishita says he believes Albertans want to see a new approach to politics in the province.

"It is time for a renewed focus on collaborative, democratic leadership that works to better the lives of all Albertans," he said.

"The Alberta Party is committed to solutions and changes that are practical, affordable and rooted in local communities."

The Alberta Party's former leader, Stephen Mandel, stepped down in June 2019 just 15 months into the job after his party failed to win a single seat in the last provincial election. 

Jacquie Fenske, a former Progressive Conservative MLA, has been serving as acting leader. Fenske has said previously that the party intends to target its efforts more narrowly toward specific constituencies this time around, in order to get back into the legislature.