UCP hosts annual general meeting on heels of Alberta-Canada pipeline deal

Members of the United Conservative Party will gather in Edmonton this weekend for their annual general meeting.

This comes on the heels of Premier Danielle Smith’s landmark deal with the federal government, marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Prime Minister Mark Carney Thursday.

More than 3,500 party faithful are expected to gather at the Edmonton Expo Centre over the weekend. Smith will give a keynote address to attendees Saturday morning.

Also on the docket is debate and voting on 36 proposed policy resolutions, including reintroducing coal-powered electricity, restricting which flags are flown on public property, cutting off funding for late-term abortions except when medically necessary, and making temporary residents pay for health care.

Other resolutions under debate include restrictions on vaccine mandates and a push to ban fluoride in drinking water.

Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams says many proposals may pass with the base, but won’t necessarily become government policy.

“The one on abortion probably will pass,” she says. “But, I doubt it’s going to be picked up by the government, and I don’t know that it will generate the kind of support that will really threaten the premier’s leadership.”

Williams says the push to restrict vaccine mandates is a crowd-pleaser for the party base, but unlikely to shift actual government policy. She adds that the fluoride question has been litigated many times already.

“It makes more sense for this to be a matter that gets dealt with by municipalities than the provincial government,” she says. “But again, if it passes resoundingly and there’s enough pressure from within the party, it could generate some additional controversy for the government.”

According to Williams, separatist-leaning members are seeking greater influence in the party through board elections. It’s a move that could shift the UCP’s internal dynamics.

“I do think the deal with Carney is going to settle some of the energy behind the soft separatists, if we can call them that,” says Williams. “A lot of strategic separatists, the ones who are considering separation as a negotiating tool, are going to be back in support of Smith.”

The MOU with Ottawa commits both parties to working toward building an oil pipeline to the West Coast and opens the door to changes to the coastal tanker ban.

It’s being touted as a win for Smith and the governing UCP, especially as her party faces criticism on many fronts, including the use of the notwithstanding clause to end the Alberta teacher strike and to push through anti-trans health bills.

Recall petitions have been approved for 14 members of Smith’s caucus, including Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides and Speaker of the House Ric McIver.

–With files from Arielle O’Shea and The Canadian Press