Premier Danielle Smith speaking at a media conference. (Photo: Pattison Media)

By Jesse Gill

Recall petition for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said to be in the works

Dec 1, 2025 | 1:23 PM

A Medicine Hat bakery posted to social media on Sunday, Nov. 30, that a recall petition for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is in the works.

The McBride’s Bakery post stated that Elections Alberta received an application to launch a recall petition for the Elections Alberta MLA on Friday.

This information was also posted on the Operation Total Recall website, a grassroots campaign looking to recall the MLAs who voted to use the Notwithstanding Clause to force striking teachers back to work.

When contacted, Elections Alberta said it cannot comment on applications they may or may not have received. Adding that once approved and issued, the recall petitions would be posted on their website.

If the submission did make its way to Elections Alberta, a decision would need to be made within seven days of receiving it.

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Brendan Hillson, the owner of McBride’s Bakery, said he isn’t the one behind the recall petition, but put the post online to let people know his business would be a signing location.

“I don’t know exactly when they’re gonna be able to set up the tables, but it could be as early as this Friday,” Hillson said.

“I wanted to let people know who are coming to the bakery that it will be there. Then I also wanted to let people who aren’t even customers of the bakery, but who are interested in signing the petition, [know] that you can come and do that.”

Hillson added that he also wants to avoid confrontation and debate at his business.

“A week or two ago, there was the petition about funding for private schools in front of the bakery, and some guy showed up,” Hillson said.

“He was nice enough, but got out of his truck and walked up to the canvassers and said, I just wanted to have a conversation,” he added.

“The canvassers said, we’re not here to have a conversation. If you want to sign, you can sign, but we’re not gonna converse. But he kept going. And I’m sure he thought when he showed up that he was there to have a civil, polite adult conversation, but it took like 30 seconds, and they were shouting at each other.”

This is something that Hillson hopes to avoid if the petition ends up at his business, adding that it’s not a place for a town hall debate forum or anything.

If approved, the recall petition would need to collect 12,070 signatures from constituents in the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding to start the recall process.

That number represents 60 per cent of the 20,117 individuals who voted in the riding during the 2023 provincial election.

If confirmed, a recall vote would be held within four months of the date the successful petition results are published.

If more than 50 per cent of the electors who vote are in favour of the recall, the MLA is recalled, and a by-election is held in the electoral division.

Smith received 66.5 per cent of the votes cast during the last provincial election for a total of 13,315.

The organizer of the recall petition, who has yet to be identified, has set up a website at recalldaniellesmith.ca.

Twelve topics on the website list reasons for launching the petition, including the use of the Notwithstanding Clause, the rights of trans youth and children, and its use to stop the teachers’ strike.

READ MORE: Lethbridge MLA among the latest to face recall petition