3 more UCP MLAs and 1 NDP MLA face recall petitions in Alberta

Four more Alberta MLAs are facing recall petitions organized by their constituents, including the first NDP representative to be caught in the province's ongoing wave of recall efforts.

Amanda Chapman in Calgary-Beddington is the first NDP MLA to be the subject of a petition.

One of the most high-profile UCP ministers is also now the subject of a recall effort, as a petition was issued on Friday for Primary and Preventative Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange in Red Deer-North.

Arts, Culture and Status of Women Minister and Calgary-Peigan MLA, Tanya Fir, as well as Calgary-East representative Peter Singh round out the newly issued recall petitions.

There are now active campaigns gathering signatures for recall votes on 17 UCP MLAs and one NDP MLA.

Alberta's Recall Act was introduced by former UCP premier Jason Kenney as a way to empower citizens and hold politicians accountable between general elections.

After Elections Alberta approves a recall petition, applicants have 90 days to collect enough names in their riding to trigger a recall vote. The number of signatures they need is equal to 60 per cent of the total votes that were cast in that riding in its most recent election.

For the four newest approved recall petitions, canvassers can begin gathering signatures from Saturday until March 5.

Along with the 17 members of Danielle Smith's caucus facing recall, the premier herself is expected to soon be added to the list. A petitioner says she has been given the green light for a recall campaign in Smith's riding of Brooks-Medicine Hat, but must wait for a formal announcement before she can begin collecting signatures.

Most of the recent petitions to trigger a recall vote of UCP MLAs have cited the province's legislation that sent teachers back to work while invoking the notwithstanding clause as a key reason.

In Calgary-Beddington, Laurie McCormack's petition takes an opposing view. Her petition argues recall is warranted because Chapman has used "harsh partisan attacks" against the provincial government and supports public-sector unions over education access and affordability.

"Her divisive rhetoric distracts from solutions. Our community deserves respectful, pragmatic leadership that puts constituents first,” McCormack's petition says.

In a response to the petition, Chapman said her comments on Alberta's teachers' strike reflected the wishes of most of her constituents.

"Of the thousands of pieces of correspondence received by my office, 99 per cent asked their MLA to support teachers and speak out about class size/complexity,” Chapman's response says.