Klein on his way out: Tory MLA

Vermilion-Lloydminster MLA Lloyd Snelgrove has stepped forward as the first caucus member to openly talk about when he thinks Klein will retire.

Klein, elected to a fourth majority last fall, says it was his last campaign. And while he maintains that he will serve out a full term, many believe he will go earlier, and campaigns to replace him have already been launched.

“It could be within the year, it could be sooner. I just think that it will be sooner than later,” Snelgrove said. “I just have to guess from the leadership activity that many of those think the same way as me.

“They seem to operate in a different information system than we do, so I don’t believe they’d be as active if they didn’t feel that the leadership race would be sooner than later.”

Snelgrove says within the party’s inner circles, when Klein will go is the subject of much discussion.

While Snelgrove would like to see Klein stay for another three years, he says speculation among those close to the premier has him going as early as this fall – which would be Klein’s 25th anniversary in politics.