Recall the UCP and other activist responses

[Wolven]

In light of the use of the Notwithstanding clause to revoke the rights of 51,000 of our fellow citizens, there is a lot of discussion about what to do next. I felt that this needed it's own thread for concentrated discussion on how we can activate to push back on the corruption of this government and their biggest step toward fascism.

I posted this in the Strike thread but there is a lot of good discussion in the strike thread that needs to be discussed without it becoming a recall thread. Thus, this space can be about the recall efforts.

If you live in one of these ridings and want to help (or even lead one of these efforts), please join the recall effort and either start a petition or become a canvasser.
If you need information on where to go to sign we can try to compile that info here.
If you need help from those of us not in your riding, let us know what you need so we can try to provide assistance.

The current government is 47 UCP vs. 38 NDP and 2 AP. 44 Seats are required to maintain a majority. We would need to flip 5 seats to bring the UCP down to 42 and the NDP up to 43 (plus the two independents).

However the UCP could drag out byelections and maintain their majority in the meantime, which means I think we would need to recall 7-8 of them to eliminate their majority. 6 is not enough because the tiebreaker of any vote goes to the Speaker of the House who is currently Ric McIver. (So if there was 40 sitting UCP vs. 38 NPD + 2 Independents then the UCP Speaker would break the tie for the UCP.)

Calgary has the ability to break this government but do we have the will to recall 8+ of the 12 UCP MLAs representing our city?

Here is the list of Calgary MLAs that we should need to recall:
Recall Started

• Demetrios Nicolaides (Calgary-Bow) - Won by 385 votes - Recall started, see website

Recall Needed

• Mickey Amery (Calgary-Cross) - Won by 518 votes
• Peter Singh (Calgary-East) - Won by 701 votes
• Myles McDougall (Calgary-Fish Creek) - Won by 2,497 votes
• Ric McIver (Calgary-Hays) - Won by 2,819 votes
• Eric Bouchard (Calgary-Lougheed) - Won by 2,769 votes
• Muhammad Yaseen (Calgary-North) - Won by 113 votes
• Rajan Sawhney (Calgary-North West) - Won by 149 votes
• Tanya Fir (Calgary-Peigan) - Won by 2,789 votes
• Rebecca Schulz (Calgary-Shaw) - Won by 3,362 votes
• Matt Jones (Calgary-South East) - Won by 4,681 votes
• Mike Ellis (Calgary-West) - Won by 3,337 votes

[Wolven]

Information update (last updated Oct 30, 2025)

Alberta Elections Recall Process
List of current recall petitions


Coordinated effort to recall all UCP MLAs that signed the Notwithstanding clause (with a tracker!): https://operationtotalrecall.ca/

[Wolven]

Thank you to MBates for writing this. I think it is worth pinning for all to re-read and consider in this moment.

Originally Posted by MBates

In our office I have posted this Martin Luther King Jr. quote...on the fridge in the kitchen...where basically everyone sees it every day.

"You may be 38 years old, as I happen to be. And one day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls you to stand up for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And you refuse to do it because you are afraid…You refuse to do it because you want to live longer… You’re afraid that you will lose your job, or you are afraid that you will be criticized or that you will lose your popularity, or you’re afraid that somebody will stab you, or shoot at you or bomb your house; so you refuse to take the stand.

Well, you may go on and live until you are 90, but you’re just as dead at 38 as you would be at 90. And the cessation of breathing in your life is but the belated announcement of an earlier death of the spirit. You died when you refused to stand up for right...You died when you refused to stand up for truth...You died when you refused to stand up for justice."

If my kid in grade 12 cannot graduate this year because the entire province goes on a general strike to protest this particular use of the notwithstanding clause then so be it.

Standing up to demand a government that will give greater respect to the concept of constitutionally protected rights and freedoms will be upsetting and take a measure of sacrifice from many...but I sure hope my kid is already the type of person who is willing to take such a speedbump in life to stand up against this form of unjust government overreach.

If we are really honest, this might be the one and only moment in a lifetime that a great many people will have the opportunity to stand up for something truly foundational to their free and democratic society. And as Remembrance Day is right around the corner, if teenagers and adults alike used to be able to traverse an ocean to take a post in a trench and literally put their lives on the line, the least any of us can do is risk some time and income to join a protest or help advance a recall petition or help fund a political party that will not do this to its citizens.

This teacher situation has now entered the phase where it is about a lot more than teachers or students or even the education system. It is impossible to comprehend how people who fashion themselves to be libertarians and supporters of a free and independent Alberta are also double-fisted cheering on a draconian government stomping on the throats of its citizens. I get that they think its funny because it is not currently their throats, it just remains baffling to me they cannot see why this is really bad and they should be standing up for the rights and freedoms of the teachers regardless of their political views.

If Albertan's stay silent and just let this one go, there will be the obvious and predicted further erosion of public schooling, but for those of you who seem to think that does not matter to you, I assure you there will also be more of this type of conduct to follow and it will get progressively worse and eventually apply to you or someone you love in a way you will hate. It is a giant step towards a grasp for absolute power and the absolute corruption that it begets. The people will either demand a reversal of course now or provide the permission structure for all future overreach.

At a bare minimum anyone who cares about this should be in the next 24 hours sending emails to your MLA and I would suggest at least all current Cabinet Ministers as well.

I wish I was just being dramatic. But this is happening while at the same time the Supreme Court of Canada is considering a reference case as to the legality of this type of preemptive use of the notwithstanding clause and Alberta will very likely be having a separatism referendum one way or another in the next year. Premier Smith and her government are purposefully provoking a constitutional crisis with this move. Whether you like it or not, this is a crisis you will have to deal with as a Canadian citizen and voter in the short-term. The time to be blissfully ignorant and comfortably on the sidelines has long passed.

[IliketoPuck]

Great job Wolven.

I'm interested in helping out wherever possible. As someone who lives in an NDP riding in the city, what's the best way to participate?

[Hot_Flatus]

I would be interested in helping as well but do live in a NDP riding. If I am able to assist with collecting signatures in the Calgary-North or Calgary-Northwest riding or getting that process rolling despite not living in that zone, I would be more than willing to chip in so please let me know.

[woob]

Does anyone have a Coles notes on recall rules/guidelines? Are we permitted to help in ridings we aren't a citizen in? Can I collect votes for that riding?

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

Great job Wolven.

I'm interested in helping out wherever possible. As someone who lives in an NDP riding in the city, what's the best way to participate?

I am in the same boat. I was thinking that helping the Calgary-Bow recall is most important as that recall has been started and is on the clock to get to 16,006 signatures.

Looking at their website, they have set up 5 locations listed. None are permanent but there are 4 temporary spots ready for halloween.

My thought was to try to find a local in Spruce Cliff who might want to set up a table at Pie Junkie. Who wouldn't like some pie with their activism???

The recall website does have a volunteer registration page where you can sign up to a number of roles: Petition Buddy, Social Media, Traditional Media, Technical, etc.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by woob

Does anyone have a Coles notes on recall rules/guidelines? Are we permitted to help in ridings we aren't a citizen in? Can I collect votes for that riding?

You cannot. Only someone in that riding can collect signatures from other people in the riding. The most we can do is support those people (Petition Buddy).

Here is the official Recall Process website if you want to get up to speed quickly on the rules.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by woob

Does anyone have a Coles notes on recall rules/guidelines? Are we permitted to help in ridings we aren't a citizen in? Can I collect votes for that riding?

https://www.elections.ab.ca/recall-i...ecall-process/

It looks like you must reside in the riding for at least the previous 90 days. It looks like canvassers also must be residents under the same criteria.

I am still willing to support however allowed once the process gets rolling!

[Mccree]

I live in an NDP riding but would be willing to help if allowed. I don't know the rules

[Wolven]

For anyone really interested in getting into causing trouble for the UCP, there is a larger movement building:

Alberta Resistance.

With more hands they will be able to organize at larger levels and help us to take our activism from angry internet posting to real action.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Mccree

I live in an NDP riding but would be willing to help if allowed. I don't know the rules

Likewise

[Hot_Flatus]

Hearing that someone has filed a recall for the Muhammed Yaseen in Calgary - North. Unconfirmed but it sounds like it's happening.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Hearing that someone has filed a recall for the Muhammed Yaseen in Calgary - North. Unconfirmed but it sounds like it's happening.

Amazing. It was posted in the other thread that there is a rumour about a recall for Rajan Sawhney (Calgary-North West) as well.

Just waiting for those to solidify so I can update the top post with the details!

[Wolven]

https://bsky.app/profile/abresistance.bsky.social

AB Resistance has been posting Recall signing locations in Calgary-Bow. Looks like there has been a few at Edworthy Park, Bowness Library, and Valley Ridge Plazebo Plaza (across from the Vet).

[IliketoPuck]

The only way to be successful with a recall is substantial community effort. Door to door campaign, sizeable social and general media, etc.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

The only way to be successful with a recall is substantial community effort. Door to door campaign, sizeable social and general media, etc.

Being a petition buddy makes sense. You could go door to door with someone able to collect signatures and talk to the people at the door to see if they will sign. If yes, bring over the canvasser, if no, send the canvasser to the next house.

3-4 petition buddies who are doing the time consuming conversations could really streamline the door knocking process for the canvasser.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

The only way to be successful with a recall is substantial community effort. Door to door campaign, sizeable social and general media, etc.

There are many willing to help here and in the general community!

[malcolmk14]

I'm willing to help the recall Nicolaides petition in Wildwood. I live right across the street (outside of his constituency, unfortunately).

[IliketoPuck]

Media awareness and specifically online reach is critical.

Do we know who the main non-partisan voices in Alberta are that can stand to be amplified with money, time, etc.?