Petitioner looking to recall Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says application approved

EDMONTON – A woman looking 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 VanSnick says she has received a letter from Elections Alberta saying she will be getting the go-ahead to start the petition drive against Smith.

Smith will have a week to file a response before it’s expected that Elections Alberta would formally issue the petition and kick-start a three-month signature collection process. A spokesperson for the agency said it was prohibited from commenting until after petitions are issued.

Once it goes ahead, it’s a lengthy, multistage process — and 14 other members of Smith’s United Conservative caucus are already facing recall campaigns.

VanSnick, in an interview Wednesday, said she was looking to add Smith to that total because she has failed to properly consult and represent residents as the MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat.

“It just feels like we’re just stepping-stones, just getting her to where she wants to go,” she said.

“I work on the ground level in my community and I hear a lot of things about how she’s not there, about how she doesn’t listen, how she’s not available.”

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

VanSnick said that it was also a consideration for her, but she didn’t agree that using the notwithstanding clause should be considered a normal government policy and said its use represented a breach of public trust.

She said any infringement of Charter-protected rights should raise alarms for all Albertans regardless of political belief. 

“From a personal perspective … if our human rights are infringed upon even just a little bit, that slippery slope will infringe upon everyone’s human rights, whether you are left, right or in between,” she said.

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

“I think she’s the best premier we’ve had in a very long time,” said Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen, who touted her recent pipeline deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, who was the first member of the UCP caucus to be targeted by a recall, also spoke highly of the premier and the deal with Carney.

Nicolaides said he was excited about where health care and education reform efforts are and what the government has been able to accomplish on both files, such as reducing surgical wait times and building more schools.

“Much more work to do, but really happy with where things are at today,” he said.

Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney, another minister facing an active recall campaign, said Smith is a good leader doing commendable work.

“We’re all very much behind her,” said Sawhney.

She also said that it feels as though there’s a “co-ordinated effort” behind the campaigns, echoing concerns raised by Smith and others who have claimed that activists and union leaders have been spearheading a larger political movement with goals beyond having any one MLA removed from their seat.

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.

“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.

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 gets to keep their seat. If the member loses, a byelection is held.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2025.