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Alberta Liberal Party says leader, David Khan, stepping down to accept new job in law

Alberta Liberal Party leader David Khan speaks to the media after the 2019 Alberta Leaders Debate in Edmonton, Alta., on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Alberta's Liberal party released its full policy platform Monday with a plan for job creation, stronger public services and a new sales tax. Liberal Leader David Khan says the platform is focused on solutions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Codie McLachlan.

The Alberta Liberal Party says its leader, David Khan, is stepping down.

A news release from the party on Sunday evening said Khan is accepting a new job in law.

It said the party’s board of directors will meet shortly to decide on its next steps.

Khan failed to win a seat in Calgary Mountain-View in the April 2019 vote, an election in which the Liberals failed to win any seats.

Click to play video: 'Alberta Election 2019: Liberal Party Leader David Khan congratulates UCP'
Alberta Election 2019: Liberal Party Leader David Khan congratulates UCP

 

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A lawyer specializing in Indigenous rights and land-claims litigation, Khan won the party’s leadership in 2017.

READ MORE: Calgary-based lawyer David Khan named leader of Alberta Liberals

The Liberals were once the province’s official Opposition, but after a high of 32 seats in 1993, the party suffered from ups and downs until it fell to third-party status in the legislature in 2012 and elected only one member in 2015.

“During my time as Alberta Liberal Leader, we were powerful advocates on significant issues including regulating Political Action Committees, remediating orphan wells, eliminating school segregation rooms, and addressing the ‘red alerts’ crisis with EMS,” Khan said in the news release.

“We pushed the provincial government to take action on these matters of concern to Albertans. We also raised awareness and grew support for Universal Basic Income, and the necessity of a sales tax. I was proud to advance these forward-thinking ideas to improve the lives of Albertans.”

READ MORE: Alberta Liberals forming committee to decide party’s future

The party thanked Khan, noting in the news release he “developed bold new policies, modernized party operations and recruited a new generation of young Albertans to the Alberta Liberal Party.”

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