Government House Leader Jason Nixon (Photo: Government of Alberta / Flickr)

By Shaun Penner

Spring Legislature Plans

Politician recall legislation part of UCP’s spring plans

Feb 24, 2021 | 2:39 PM

Alberta Government House Leader Jason Nixon says recall legislation will be coming to Alberta.

“Which will establish a process for a voter to remove an MLA, a municipal councillor, mayor, trustee or school board trustee from office between elections.”

Nixon made the announcement as he laid out the UCP government’s priorities ahead of the spring legislature sitting, which kicks off Thursday with the unveiling of the 2021 budget.

The legislation was one of many promises made by the UCP government during its 2019 election campaign, which Nixon says he expects to have passed by the end of the spring legislature session.

“The reality is to put in place the process which will require cooperation with Elections Alberta,” said Nixon. “They are certainly going to want to have some input on how much time that the Chief Electoral Officer will need to put it into place.”

Nixon says the first several weeks after MLAs return to the legislature on March 8 will be spent getting the Thursday budget through all the necessary steps to move forward. After that, the United Conservative government will begin to put forward that and other legislation toward the end of March.

“There will be some key themes around that beginning with the Citizen Initiative Act which will give Albertans the power to petition government to legislate policy or constitutional proposals once a certain number of signatures is met on a specific issue,” Nixon said.

The Freedom to Care Act to recognize non-profits’ contributions to the province and set up provisions to inform them of regulatory exemptions available is also in the UCP’s plans.

As well, vital statistics changes made last year will be extended from the sex offenders list to all dangerous offenders, making them ineligible to change their legal names.

Nixon also said a promised referendum on equalization will be on the municipal election ballot in October.