Recall the UCP and other activist responses

[Locke]

Originally Posted by troutman

Next Election - rural Alberta will go UCP, Edmonton will go NDP. It’s all up to Calgary.

Thats pretty much exactly what happened last time.

[getbak]

Yeah, but more than half the seats are in Calgary and Edmonton, so the NDP doesn't need rural voters. The Cons absolutely need Calgary voters.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Of course they do, but it's not like they're in any danger of losing Calgary-Hays or whatever. There are a bunch of Calgary ridings - not to mention Okotoks, Chestermere, Airdrie - where the best the NDP can hope for is a good showing.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Of course they do, but it's not like they're in any danger of losing Calgary-Hays or whatever. There are a bunch of Calgary ridings - not to mention Okotoks, Chestermere, Airdrie - where the best the NDP can hope for is a good showing.

We could always burn it to the ground...

[troutman]

Progress - 14 at gathering signatures phase. 4 new targets including Marlaina:

https://operationtotalrecall.ca/

[Caged Great]

It was a pretty good day out there today going door to door. Lots of enthusiasm.

Looking forward to carrying on in my neighbourhood this week. Big progress.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Wolven

Ya, that's great to see the progress. A quick look at the website is showing it like this:

Operation Total Recall (23/44* recalls in motion):

• 4 targeted - Meaning someone has stepped up to be the proponent for the petition (Step 1 in their process)
• 5 Initial Paperwork Submitted - Paperwork has been filed with $500 payment (Step 2)
• 0 Initial Paperwork Approved - Petition has been approved and Elections Alberta is awaiting comment from the targeted MLA for up to 7 days (Step 3)
• 5 Organizing - This is the step immediately before gathering signatures, likely where they are getting people signed up to be canvassers, etc. (Step 4)
• 9 Gathering signatures (Step 5)

Calgary-Bow will be done their gathering by Jan 21, 2026.
Airdrie-East is done Feb 3
Grande Prairie finishes Feb 19
11 more will wrap by Feb 22 & 23.

From each of those dates, Elections Alberta will take up to 21 days to verify the petitions. Once completed, they get 7 days to provide notice and update the website with the result.

Then the ball is in the LG's court to call the recall votes within 4 months. So this could stretch out to June/July to get the recall votes completed or as fast as Februrary we could see Calgary-Bow vote to recall Nicolaides with 13 more right behind.

Alberta's legislature calendar shows they are packing it in for the year on November 27th and if their 2026 calendar is anything like 2025, they won't start sessions until the end of Feb so they can have a 3 month Xmas break.

Potentially, Calgary-Bow could have their recall vote before the government is back in session (although that is unlikely for the process to go that fast) but more likely the recall vote will occur while the legislature is active, which could mean Nicolaides could lose his job mid-session.

Operation Total Recall (23/44* recalls in motion):

• 3 targeted - Meaning someone has stepped up to be the proponent for the petition (Step 1 in their process)
• 3 Initial Paperwork Submitted - Paperwork has been filed with $500 payment (Step 2)
• 3 Initial Paperwork Approved - Petition has been approved and Elections Alberta is awaiting comment from the targeted MLA for up to 7 days (Step 3)
• 0 Organizing - This is the step immediately before gathering signatures, likely where they are getting people signed up to be canvassers, etc. (Step 4)
• 14 Gathering signatures (Step 5)

Highlights on the progress update:
I am glad for Calgary-East moving to Approved as they only require 8593 signatures to succeed.
Smith's riding has submitted paperwork.
Calgary-Cross is still 'targeted' and really needs to get paperwork submitted as that riding is another really strong target as it only needs 9083 signatures and he barely won his election by 514 votes.

[troutman]

Every teacher and nurse will sign - how can that be organized?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by troutman

Every teacher and nurse will sign - how can that be organized?

The obvious answer would be to set up a booth as close to all the schools as possible so that people can sign them on their way to and from work (and parents can sign while dropping off and picking up their kids... heck so that the students who are eligible to vote can do it to). I'd probably also print out some pamphlets with information on where to sign other petitions since not everyone will live in the same riding that the school.

Hospitals are different because schools service residents of an area in a way that hospitals don't but I'd probably make sure I have location there as well and make sure that pamphlets are there for the taking as well. Get the information circulating on where/when to sign.

[Fuzz]

According to documents sent to CTV News by petition organizers, a recall drive in her Brooks–Medicine Hat riding has been approved by Elections Alberta.

Elections Alberta has not yet posted the petition publicly, but a letter, also provided by organizers, appears to be from Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure.

He states Smith has been served notice of an application and he is “satisfied that the requirements of section 2 (of the Recall Act) have been met” and “the application meets the requirements for approval of a recall petition.”

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/artic...anielle-smith/

Merry Christmas Marlaina. I hope you don't get any coal.

[troutman]

Rumor is UCP will make amendments to recall rules tomorrow.

[puffnstuff]

Smith was asked about that by Nenshi yesterday...surprise, she didnt answer but did pivot to coal and the NDP from 5 years ago

https://bsky.app/profile/thebreakdow.../3m72ctma45c23

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by troutman

Every teacher and nurse will sign - how can that be organized?

I think raising awareness of the recall website is the way to go. Their events page is going strong: https://operationtotalrecall.ca/events.php

You can filter it by riding and see that Calgary-Hays has 2 upcoming events on Dec 6 for the McIver recall.

Promoting the website and then making sure that any events that you are aware of are captured there (if they are not already) would help get the information to other people.

[Buff]

Going around on Facebook that the recall for Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf was setup by his friend and signatures may not even be collected at all.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BjMbXpLZs/

[troutman]

Wow - that’s really slimy. Should be allowed to start a new application there.

Chris Spearman thinks Nathan should have to resign for this.

While the manipulations may be legal under the law, if Nathan Neudorf or his office is involved, he needs to be honest with his constituents.

Furthermore, if Nathan or his office attempted to frustrate the process, he should resign.

Background:

In an a social media post with a strong ring of truth to it, a Lethbridge resident described a half-hour meeting with her Lethbridge-East UCP MLA, Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf, during which she said he told her that “the UCP will be working to repeal the recall system which has been abused.”

Mr. Neudorf advised her during their meeting earlier on Halloween that the repeal legislation “will likely not happen until spring,”

Intriguingly, she wrote, Mr. Neudorf said that if a recall campaign is started in his electoral district now, “he believes it will be successful and we will likely become an NDP riding.”

Last week, the recall process for Lethbridge East initiated by Ryan Tanner, was approved by Elections Alberta.

Lethbridge East constituents wishing to assist with the recall process are not receiving timely responses for the email address provided.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats pretty much exactly what happened last time.

I think this is why a PC party would be more detrimental to the NDP than the UCP.

Most of the moderate conservatives moved to the NDP.

[troutman]

I disagree. Any vote splitting on the right is handing the keys to the NDP.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Buff

Going around on Facebook that the recall for Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf was setup by his friend and signatures may not even be collected at all.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BjMbXpLZs/

The man who did show up, Mike, admitted he’d never met Ryan, didn’t understand the recall process, and wasn’t even from our riding. Then he told us he was asked to come by Sariah Seaborn from Nathan Neudorf’s office.

Wait, but I thought the recallers were the ones who were abusing the process? No surprise shameful yellow bellied snakes would abuse democracy, but I'm sure our premier will find it all above board.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by troutman

I disagree. Any vote splitting on the right is handing the keys to the NDP.

I agree. That's why we have the UCP because two major right wing parties were competing for votes and the NDP got in.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Cappy

I think this is why a PC party would be more detrimental to the NDP than the UCP.

Most of the moderate conservatives moved to the NDP.

Originally Posted by troutman

I disagree. Any vote splitting on the right is handing the keys to the NDP.

I expect it would be a combination of both.
- Any former conservative voters that plugged their nose and switched to the NDP out of acknowledgement that the UCP is corrupt and evil may switch to a new PC party.
- Any non-separatist conservative that cannot bring themselves to vote NDP would flee from the UCP to a new PC party.

Odds are that would still leave the NDP with a majority and the new PC party would likely become the opposition while the UCP would get wrecked, especially if their separatist votes shift to one of the separatist parties.