Alberta Ministers Horner, Jones Exit Cabinet Before Election
Two veteran UCP ministers step down from cabinet roles, signalling they won't run in next provincial election.
Finance Minister Nate Horner and Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones both announced Wednesday they're stepping down from cabinet and won't seek re-election.
Horner, who's served two terms, cited his commitment to limiting his time in office. He said it made sense for the next election-year budget to be built by a cabinet member who will actually run. Jones similarly told Premier Smith he won't be seeking re-election and requested to step back from cabinet for an orderly transition.
Both had held prominent roles in Smith's cabinet. Horner delivered three provincial budgets and was the public face of initiatives including auto insurance reform and pension planning. Jones has served in multiple portfolios since 2019.
Smith announced a full cabinet shuffle Thursday morning to replace the departing ministers. The timing is significant — Alberta heads into an election year with leadership questions swirling around referendum politics and party unity. Having experienced ministers voluntarily step aside suggests either natural attrition or, in some observers' views, a sign of internal pressure within the UCP caucus.