Canvassers hit the streets and MLAs push back as Calgary-area recall campaigns are in full swing

In northwest Calgary and across much of Airdrie, signs are out and petitions are circulating to bring the future of two MLAs to a vote, and there could be more on the way.

In Calgary-Bow, Jenny Yeremiy is working with more than 70 other canvassers to trigger a recall vote of the riding's MLA, Demetrios Nicolaides, who also serves as Alberta's education and childcare minister. Yeremiy said the group has received roughly a quarter of the 16,006 signatures they need to gather by Jan. 21, 2026.

A successful recall petition would trigger a vote on whether to remove Nicolaides from office within four months. If that were to happen and a majority of voters chose to remove him, it would then lead to a byelection.

Yeremiy said she's been working toward this campaign for more than six months, stemming from an attempt to meet with Nicolaides more than a year ago. She said she wanted to flag issues in Alberta's curriculum surrounding the environment and social justice. Her disappointment with the minister's dismissal of her criticisms eventually led to her current campaign.

“That was the only tool I could see that was capable of holding my minister and my MLA accountable,” Yeremiy said in an interview with This is Calgary.

In her recall application, Yeremiy says her main reason for launching the petition is Alberta's investment in charter and private schools at a time when she believes public education resources are inadequate.

But Yeremiy said she didn't expect the domino effect of recall campaigns that's followed. She attributes the province's use of the notwithstanding clause to fast-track legislation ordering 51,000 locked out teachers back to work as the reason Alberta is now seeing a flood of recall efforts.

On the other side of the debate, Nicolaides sent a letter last week to rally support. While the MLA said he hasn't decided what his supporters should do exactly, he said it will be critical for them to provide information to residents about his record in office.

"There’s a lot that has been accomplished within the ministry of education, and for the residents of Calgary-Bow themselves, that I think folks need to be aware of when making any kind of final decision,” said Nicolaides.

After seeing Nicolaides's call for support, Yeremiy wrote a formal letter of concern to Elections Alberta asking the agency if it believes the counter-campaign might exert "undue influence" or use volunteers in a way that would violate the Recall Act.

But Nicolaides said volunteers assisting a political campaign is standard practice. He added Elections Alberta has not contacted him about Yeremiy’s letter.

The UCP filed a formal complaint itself, Nicolaides said, raising concern that people from outside Calgary-Bow are canvassing for signatures in the riding, which would violate the Recall Act. Yeremiy said while supporters have come from outside the riding, they're not soliciting signatures. 

She added her team tries to vet all the support it receives, and has scratched out signatures and denied donations when they've been identified as coming from outside Calgary-Bow.

Along with sending volunteers to go door-to-door to gather signatures, Yeremiy said the campaign has a couple upcoming events planned to build support. Nicolaides said he hasn't decided if he will send supporters on his side to attend the events and speak to possible petition signers.