EDMONTON — Elections Alberta announced Wednesday a recall petition has been issued for Premier Danielle Smith and two more of her United Conservative Party cabinet ministers.
The petitioner seeking to oust the premier, Heather VanSnick, says in her application that Smith has been ignoring local constituents and experts in developing policies.
“Effective leadership requires genuine connection and consistent engagement, both absent in her tenure,” VanSnick wrote.
VanSnick also said Smith needs to go, because the premier has been weakening public services in favour of privatization.
“Ms. Smith is no longer fit to serve,” VanSnick said.
Smith, in a statement to Elections Alberta in response to the petition, denied that she isn’t listening to local voices.
“I regularly make myself available to meet with constituents and I routinely host town halls across my riding,” Smith said.
“I’m proud to serve the people of Brooks-Medicine Hat and I use the feedback I hear from all of you to help inform all decisions, big or small, that our government makes.”
The premier was scheduled to hold a news conference later Wednesday about improving the province’s assisted living sector.
Petitions were also issued Wednesday for Technology Minister Nate Glubish and Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz.
The new petitions bring the current total against UCP legislature members to 20, which is more than a third of Smith’s caucus.
Like many other petitioners, those behind the campaigns to unseat Glubish and Schulz both say that their representative has failed to address the concerns of constituents. They also cite the ministers’ support of using the notwithstanding clause to end the recent provincewide teachers strike as being a motivating factor.
Glubish’s petitioner, Drake Worth, also said in his application that the minister’s recent vote against an Opposition NDP bill to raise minimum wage was a concern, citing the effect it could have had on the community.
In his response statement, Glubish, who represents Strathcona-Sherwood Park, noted that the 2023 election was a tight race and that more than 11,000 residents voted for the NDP candidate. He said he wasn’t surprised that some constituents wouldn’t be on board with the government’s policies.
“That is normal — that is democracy — and I respect their right to disagree,” Glubish said.
“I respect the recall process and look forward to defending my record as MLA and minister. I remain dedicated to serving Strathcona-Sherwood Park with integrity and diligence, for as long as voters choose to entrust me with this position.”
Schulz, in her own response statement, said she had advanced “key initiatives” in multiple ministerial roles since she was first elected in Calgary-Shaw in 2019, including boosting supports for families while she was the minister for children and family services.
“In light of this record, I respectfully submit that a recall is unwarranted,” she wrote.
Recall petitions have burst onto Alberta’s political scene this fall.
The process was first introduced under former UCP premier Jason Kenney in 2021, but it wasn’t used against a provincial politician until October.
Smith and her caucus have repeatedly argued in light of the campaigns that the recall process is being weaponized by those upset with government policy. Both Smith and Kenney have said that the process was meant for acts of serious misconduct, not policy differences.
While Smith’s caucus has seen the brunt of the recalls, it became a bipartisan affair last week when a petition was issued against the Opposition NDP’s education critic Amanda Chapman.
In that case the petitioner cited Chapman’s “divisive rhetoric” and support of public-sector unions over the priorities of local families to have access to education.
Chapman said that she stood with teachers throughout recent strike because the vast majority of constituents had asked her to.
Petitioners have three months to collect signatures equal to 60 per cent of the total number of votes cast in the constituency in the 2023 election.
If successful, a vote is held on whether the representative keeps their seat. If the member loses, a byelection is held.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2025.
Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
