Calgary energy lawyer first candidate for Alberta Party leadership

A Calgary energy lawyer is the first candidate to step up to run for the leadership of the Alberta Party.

Kara Levis announced her leadership bid Monday at the legislature in Edmonton.

A news release from her campaign describes Levis as a community organizer, wife and mother of three daughters.

"I'm looking to bring the experience, energy and enthusiasm I have to lead the Alberta Party into its next phase," Nevis said at the legislature.

She is a lawyer with 10 years of experience. She practises within the Energy Law group at TransCanada Corporation.

Levis co-founded the Calgary-based non-profit Ask Her, which worked to encourage more female candidates to run in the 2017 Calgary municipal election.

Levis said she wants to engage with Albertans who aren't active in the political process or fed up with the current NDP government and opposition United Conservative Party.

The slogan on her campaign materials is "Province before Politics."

"We have a vision that is based on values not on ideology, that is not about the polarization that we see today on the left and the right," Levis said.

The Alberta Party leadership race began when former leader Greg Clark resigned his position Nov. 8.

A winner was supposed to be announced on Feb. 7 but was pushed back to Feb. 27 because no candidates had stepped forward.

Levis said she expects other candidates to jump into the leadership race.