Alberta Premier Smith hopes failing recall petitions a sign people feel heard

EDMONTON — Premier Danielle Smith says she hopes failing recall petitions against members of her caucus mean Albertans are feeling heard.

Two dozen recall petitions were launched late last year against United Conservative Party legislature members, but so far none have been successful.

At least half were confirmed to be unsuccessful as of last week.

Most of the petitions were started after Smith’s government used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to end a provincewide teachers strike last fall.

Smith said Monday she knew the move created “a lot of concern,” but said she believes the results illustrate that concern has subsided.

“We made a choice and it is the right of citizens to be able to gather and tell us that they disagree with that,” the premier told reporters in Lethbridge at an unrelated news conference.

“What I take from the results I’ve seen so far is that there was initial concern, but I think people are relieved to have kids back in the class.”

Smith also said she thinks the government has demonstrated its willingness to work with teachers after the strike, pointing to investments it’s making to try and solve classroom complexity problems and overcrowding.

“I hope that the results just demonstrate that people are feeling that we listened, we heard, and we’re moving in the right direction, even if they disagreed with the way we went about it.”

The first recall petition to be launched was against Smith’s Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides. After three months of collecting signatures the campaign wrapped up in January with about 6,500 signatures, or 40 per cent of the total needed.

To date no other petition has collected more signatures or achieved a higher percentage.

Other members of Smith’s cabinet to have a petition against them fail include Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall, Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney, Agriculture Minister R.J. Sigurdson and Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally.

There’s been varied reactions to the petitions against coming up short, with some politicians saying it represents a renewed mandate while others have said they’re happy to put the petition in the rear-view mirror.

The remaining petitions against Smith’s caucus, including the premier, are due this month.

The petitioner targeting Smith, Heather VanSnick, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Two petitions launched against members of the Opposition NDP are also approaching the deadline.

The petition against education critic Amanda Chapman, launched by a Calgary resident over Chapman’s support for public sector unions, is due to Elections Alberta on Wednesday.

Petitioners have three months to collect signatures equal to 60 per cent of the total number of votes cast in their constituency in the 2023 provincial election.

If successful, a constituency-wide vote would be held on whether the politician keeps their seat. If the member loses, a byelection would be held.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2026.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press