Recall petitions has been a major story in Alberta politics recently.
A total of 14 MLAs so far, all of them from the UCP, are facing recall petitions from their constituents.
That’s almost a third of the 47 MLAs in the government caucus.
The province’s Recall Act was brought in under former premier Jason Kenney as a way to empower citizens and hold politicians accountable between general elections.
Under the act, any person eligible to vote in a riding can ask to begin collecting signatures to try to get their legislature member expelled if they feel the member is failing at their duties.
Some of the reasons provided by the petitioners for those various MLAs include failing to advocate for their communities, being unreachable, and supporting the government’s usage of the notwithstanding clause to end the teacher’s strike.
Premier Danielle Smith and her UCP caucus have argued the petitioners aren’t using the recall system appropriately, saying it should be saved for serious wrongdoing not disagreements over government policy.
The current list of MLAs facing recall petitions also includes several cabinet ministers.
– Demetrios Nicolaides, Calgary-Bow (Education Minister)
– Angela Pitt, Airdrie-East (Deputy Speaker of Legislature)
– Nolan Dyck, Grande Prairie (Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous and Rural Policing)
– Myles McDougall, Calgary-Fish Creek (Advanced Education Minister)
– Ric McIver, Calgary-Hays (Speaker of Legislature)
– Muhammed Yaseen, Calgary-North (Associate Minister of Multiculturalism)
– Rajan Sawhney, Calgary-North West (Indigenous Relations Minister)
– RJ Sigurdson, Highwood (Agriculture Minister)
– Dale Nally, Morinville-St. Alberta (Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction)
– Glen van Dijken, Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock
– Jackie Lovely, Camrose
– Nathan Neudorf, Lethbridge-East (Minister of Affordability and Utilities)
– Jason Stephan, Red Deer-South (Parliamentary Secretary for Constitutional Affairs)
– Searle Turton, Spruce Grove-Stony Plain (Minister of Children and Family Services)
Once a recall petition is approved by Elections Alberta, the applicant has 90 days to collect enough names from people in the constituency to trigger a vote.
The number of signatures must be equal to 60 per cent of votes cast in the constituency in the 2023 election.
If enough signatures are collected and verified, a constituency-wide vote is held within four months to determine whether the MLA should be recalled.
If more than half vote yes, the member is removed from the job and a byelection is held.
It’s a long, multi-stage process, but if all 14 MLAs are defeated in constituency votes, it would give the Opposition NDP — with 38 members — a majority of the seats in the 87-seat house.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
