A second member of the Alberta legislature is now facing a citizen-led petition seeking her recall. Alberta’s chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, announced on Monday during a legislature committee meeting that a recall campaign has been authorized for United Conservative member Angela Pitt. The petition, spearheaded by Airdrie resident Derek Keenan, is set to kick off signature collection starting Wednesday. The applicant has until February to garner just under 15,000 signatures from residents in the constituency.
If successful and the signatures are verified, a vote will be scheduled within four months in the Calgary-area riding. A majority vote in favor of removing Pitt would result in her dismissal as a member of the legislature. Pitt, who represents Airdrie-East and serves as the deputy speaker of the legislature, is the subject of this recall effort due to concerns about her responsiveness to community issues, as highlighted by Keenan.
In response, Pitt emphasized in a statement that recalls should not be triggered solely based on political disagreements, citing that they are intended to address breaches of trust, serious misconduct, or a prolonged failure to represent constituents effectively. This development follows a similar recall petition recently approved for Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, who also defended against claims of inadequacy as an MLA for Calgary-Bow.
There are indications that additional members of the United Conservative Party caucus could become targets for recall petitions. The government’s invocation of the notwithstanding clause in resolving a teachers’ strike has further fueled discontent among some Albertans. The chief electoral officer, McClure, has requested an additional $13.5 million in budget funding to accommodate the verification of these petitions and other potential referendum initiatives, citing a strain on resources and staffing due to the ongoing processes.
Despite McClure’s plea for increased funding, the UCP majority-held committee approved only a fraction of the requested amount, allocating $1.45 million. This decision was met with criticism from opposition NDP members who accused the government of avoiding financial responsibility in supporting the electoral processes. The committee’s choice has left McClure’s office in a challenging position, prompting a call for a reconsideration of the funding decision to ensure the fulfillment of mandated duties.