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By Ian Gustafson

Crucial vote

Premier Smith faces important vote at UCP AGM in Red Deer

Nov 1, 2024 | 9:54 AM

The United Conservative Party of Alberta will take centre stage at their Annual General Meeting in Red Deer this weekend.

The convention, that begins on Friday and runs through Saturday at Westerner Park, is claimed by the party to be “the largest political convention in Canadian history,” with at least 5,500 members registered to attend.

Among the highlights on Friday includes a pair of discussions with MLA’s in the afternoon followed by a “bearpit session” with premier Danielle Smith and cabinet at 4 p.m.

On Saturday, Smith will address members and the public at 10 a.m. with a question and answer period to follow.

However, the big news will come later in the day as UCP members will vote on Smith’s future as the leader of the party.

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The UCP does not specify a level of support needed to maintain leadership during a review but in 2022, former premier Jason Kenney only received a 51 per cent approval. He later stepped down.

Smith on the other hand, received 54 per cent in 2022 and is hoping for higher approval from the members this weekend.

The convention arrives just a day after Smith’s government proposed three bills that focus on transgender people.

One bill introduced requires kids under 16 to have parental consent to change their pronouns or names at school. It also requires parents to opt-in for their children to be taught about sexual orientation and sexual and gender identity at school.

The second bill would prohibit doctors from treating kids under 16 looking for trangender treatments such as puberty blockers.

The final bill would ban transgender athletes from competing in female amateur sports and would require school and sport organizations to report eligibility complaints.

(With files from the Canadian Press)