Alberta Premier Danielle Smith latest target of an MLA recall campaign

A woman hoping to launch a recall petition to oust Alberta Premier Danielle Smith from her seat in the legislature says her campaign has been officially approved.

Heather Van Snick says she has received a letter from Elections Alberta saying she will be getting the go-ahead to start the petition drive against Smith and she has provided a copy of that letter to Global News.

However, Van Snick cannot begin collecting signatures yet because Smith still has seven days to file a response before the three-month petition campaign can formally begin.

In a press release, Van Snick and others behind the recall campaign claim they are being driven by “ongoing concerns about Smith’s lack of presence and meaningful engagement with the community.”

While they admit “there are a lot of people in the riding who supported the UCP,” they claim people are “frustrated” and “struggling to get ahold of her (Smith) to express their concerns.

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In particular, they say “voters are concerned about her use of the notwithstanding clause.”

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According to Elections Alberta, in order to apply for a recall petition, the petitioner must pay a fee of $500 and submit a statement of 100 words or less for why the MLA should be recalled.

When contacted by Global News, a spokesperson for Elections Alberta said she is unable to confirm the petition application.

However, the petition organizers also provided Global News with a letter they say was sent to them by Elections Alberta.

The letter says the application for the petition under the province’s Recall Act was received in the office of the province’s Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, on Nov. 28.

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“I have reviewed Heather Van Snick’s application under the Recall Act — requesting to petition the recall of Honourable Premier Danielle Smith,” reads the letter.

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“As Chief Electoral Officer, I am satisfied the requirements of section 2 have been met and hereby notify you the application meets the requirements for approval of a recall petition,” continues the letter.

View image in full screen In a letter addressed to the petition organizer, Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, said he is satisfied the application for a recall petition meets the requirements of the Recall Act. Provided to Global News

The wording of the statement on the recall petition for Danielle Smith, according to the letter from Elections Alberta is:

“I respectfully request the recall of Danielle Smith, MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat.  Ms. Smith does not live in our community, has no meaningful history here and has shown little effort to understand the people she was elected to represent.  Effective leadership requires genuine connection and consistent engagement, both absent in her tenure.  Despite having knowledgeable experts and frontline professionals within her riding, she refuses to consult them, instead advancing policies that weaken public services and promote privatization.  Her disregard for local expertise and community voices has left us without accountable leadership.  Ms. Smith is no longer fit to serve.”

Story continues below advertisement 5:58 Alberta MLA recall rules

Following the expiration of the seven-day period for the MLA to respond, the petitioner has 90 days to collect enough signatures, which must be equal to 60 per cent of the votes cast in the last election, before submitting the recall petition.

In Smith’s case, more than 12,070 signatures will be needed in order for the recall petition to be submitted to Elections Alberta.

That’s 60 per cent of the 20,117 votes that were cast in the riding in the last provincial election.

Elections Alberta will then have 21 days in order to verify if the recall petition is successful (with 95 per cent statistical certainty).

If it is, the lieutenant governor will have four months in which a recall vote must be conducted and in order for it to be successful, 50 per cent of those who vote must cast a ballot in favour of recalling their MLA.

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If the recall is approved, a byelection to select a new MLA for the riding must be held within six months.

A spokesperson for Elections Alberta said, from start to finish, the process of recalling an MLA could take almost a year.

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At least 14 other UCP MLAs are are already facing recall campaigns.

Questions sent to Smith’s office about Van Snick’s concerns went unanswered.

However, a United Conservative caucus spokesperson said in a statement that the recall process is meant for major breaches of duty, and not for policy disagreements.

It’s an argument Smith, members of her cabinet and caucus have repeatedly made in response to the recent outburst of petitions, especially since many petitioners have cited the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to end a provincewide teachers strike as a motivating factor.

Many of Smith’s cabinet members also rallied to the premier’s defence Wednesday, telling reporters at the legislature that she had their full support with the potential petition against her.

Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan, one figure Smith has credited the campaigns to, has denied any meaningful involvement, but said he supports local efforts.

Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said Wednesday that Smith has been looking for a scapegoat rather than accepting that some Albertans are upset with the direction the government is taking.

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“As well they should be,” Nenshi said.

Smith in recent weeks has said her government was workshopping changes to the provincial Recall Act to address other concerns, such as fundraising rules.

Her justice minister, however, said this week that after further discussion no changes were planned for now.

–with files from The Canadian Press.

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