Savage will travel south on Monday with meetings scheduled for Tuesday at Capitol Hill, before attending an oilsands workshop Wednesday with Kenney. “We continue to work to address the energy security concerns of North America and the world that have long been neglected,” Savage told CBC News. “It’s important for Alberta to have a place at the table when these issues are being discussed.” Savage will return to Calgary on Thursday, while Kenney will return to Calgary on Friday. Kenney said he was looking forward to productive discussions on the trip and that Alberta was ready to side with the United States to create a stable, affordable and ethical energy system. The prime minister’s participation in the trip was disputed by some in light of his announcement last month intends to resign as UCP leader. While Kenney will remain prime minister until a new leader is elected, Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, said such trips are surprising for an official in a de facto temporary position. “This goes far beyond the official role,” Bratt said. “What kind of discussions can you have … knowing that you are not at all responsible for making decisions? You come in without any credibility.” Bratt said he did not think Kenney should go on the trip from the beginning, but added that it would be interesting to see how US lawmakers respond to him. “Based on everything we’ve seen in the last month, it behaves in a sense as if May 18th never happened.” The UCP plans to elect its next leader on October 6. There are eight candidates formally claims the position.
