Organizers plan ‘Provincial Day of Recall’ as reports indicate several Alberta petitions far from signature goal

A “provincial day of recall” is just around the corner, as Alberta-wide rallies are in the works for Saturday.

This comes amid numerous reports indicate many of the campaigns against United Conservative Party MLAs are coming up short of their respective marks.

However, one political expert says even unsuccessful drives, including the one against Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides might suggest there’s room for changes come next election.

While she wouldn’t release her exact signature count, Calgarian Chelsea Barnowich with the Recall Tanya Fir campaign, is looking on the bright side.

“I think that the amount that we’re ultimately going to achieve should still the message,” she said. “Our MLAs need to understand that they can’t just go to work and collect their paycheck and not respond to us.”

Edmonton-based Recall Searle Turton campaigner Mona O’Neill have encountered include fear of government reprisal and voter apathy.

“There are far too many people who cannot even tell you who their MLA is, or what MLA stands for,” she said.

Barnowich also says the signature threshold for recall petitions is too high.

“The separatist petition, for example, they only have to get 10 per cent of the voting population,” she explained. “If that were the case for my particular recall, I would already have the number of signatures I needed.”

The campaign to recall Premier Danielle Smith remains tight-lipped about how many signees they have, claiming they’re worried she could change the rules at the last minute.

The conversation at signing tables is the desire for better communication.

“We need to hold these people who are supposed to represent us accountable, and that’s not going to stop at the end of the recall, that’s going to continue,” said Drake Worth, curator of a petition against Edmonton MLA Nate Glubish. “And it should continue, the conversations should continue for years to come.”

A government spokesperson tells CityNews recalls aren’t a shortcut to trigger a vote over political differences, but are meant for breaches of public trust and ethical violations.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt says that victory by Minister Nicolaides should serve as a wake-up call to all MLAs.

“I don’t think Demetrios Nicolaides is out of the woods. They didn’t get 16,000 signatures, but what’d they get… About 7,000?” he said. “He barely won in 2023. So, if I was him, I would be worried and he is worried.”

A petition to recall Airdrie-East MLA Angela Pitt was also found to have failed earlier this week.

There are still 24 active petitions in the province, at least a dozen of those are due to be submitted by the end of the month.

Of those, 22 are against UCP representatives. The other two target members of the Official Opposition NDP.

Petitioners get 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.

– With files from The Canadian Press