Ernest Manning had been Social Credit's leader and premier of Alberta since he was selected by his caucus to succeed deceased party founder William Aberhart in 1943.
Party secretary Orvis Kennedy was trying to prevent a resolution in favour of the Social Credit youth branch, endorsing the legalization of marijuana from making the convention floor (he succeeded).
Breaking free, Reierson complained "I never thought I'd live to see the day that a Social Credit candidate would be denied the right to speak to his own supporters" announcing his withdrawal and endorsement of Taylor.
Walt Buck, in fourth place, stayed on the ballot, despite entreaties from the Taylor and Reierson camps.
However, his government proved unable to deal with the province's desire for change, and was soundly defeated in the 1971 election by Peter Lougheed's Progressive Conservatives, marking the end of the thirty-five year Social Credit dynasty in Alberta, and the beginning of the Progressive Conservatives' still-longer tenure.