9 Alberta government MLAs are facing recall efforts. What’s going on?

A growing number of recall efforts against sitting MLAs in Alberta is raising pressure on Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party.

A growing number of recall efforts against sitting MLAs in Alberta is raising pressure on Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party.

Elections Alberta on Monday approved recall petitions for six more UCP caucus members, bringing the total number of MLAs facing potential removal to nine.

The group includes members of Smith’s cabinet and the Speaker of the Alberta legislature.

Although the petitioners face an uphill battle to successfully get the MLAs removed from office, the fact it’s happening at this volume speaks to the populist groundswell in Alberta and around the world, political experts say, combined with anger at Smith’s government in particular.

It may also make other jurisdictions think twice about following in the footsteps of Alberta and B.C., which are the only two provinces in the country with recall legislation.

“It can get out of control of the government in question and be used for an expression of anger,” said Lori Williams, a political science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

The United Conservative government under former premier Jason Kenney passed the Recall Act in 2021, allowing constituents to launch petitions to remove their MLAs.

Under the original law, petitioners would need to collect signatures from at least 40 per cent of eligible voters in a riding within 60 days after the recall effort is approved by Elections Alberta.