Four days after the provincial election results were ratified by Elections Alberta, Premier Smith moved to quickly appoint her new cabinet.
24 of the 49 newly elected UCP MLAs will serve in cabinet, which is two fewer than the previous one led by Premier Smith after she won her leadership in the fall of 2022. With the UCP completely shut out from Edmonton, and the majority of their caucus representing rural ridings, it is not surprising that nine of the 12 UCP MLAs from Calgary are now ministers.
Aside from geographical representation, the cabinet also lacks gender parity and ministers from diverse backgrounds, with only five women, all from Calgary, and three people of colour. It also does not include any newly elected MLAs.
Albeit a predictable cabinet, Premier Smith and her colleagues are now facing some significant criticism and challenges.
Despite Premier Smith’s assertions about being pro-choice, the appointment of Adriana Lagrange as Health Minister and Dan Willians as the Mental Health and Addictions Minister has many Albertans raising concerns about healthcare in the province. Lagrange is involved in the leadership of an anti-abortion group and Williams previously introduced a private member’s bill protecting healthcare providers who refuse to serve patients with differing moral beliefs.
Calgary has traditionally voted overwhelmingly conservative in elections. This time, the UCP managed to win 12 seats in the region, while the NDP won 14. The narrow margins in many of the region’s ridings should cause the Premier to reevaluate her previous strategy to brush aside outreach within the city.
Smith has several concerns weighing here, both within and outside of Calgary’s city limits. With the lack of diversity in cabinet and an overwhelmingly rural representation among the UCP caucus, it may become harder to connect with Calgarians who are no longer committed to conservatism, while also balancing the needs of rural constituents.
Among those are the members of a group called Take Back Alberta (TBA), who seem dedicated to influencing and shaping Alberta’s political leadership. Self-described as a group of disgruntled separatists, they claim a significant role in Smith’s rise to leadership. Their influence is far-reaching and effective in certain rural areas, including within the campaigns of several candidates (now MLAs) espousing controversial views. A growing presence from TBA could further compromise the UCP’s success in urban constituencies, especially Calgary, and call into question Smith’s ability to govern steadily.
The next four years signal a very complex and unpredictable chapter in Alberta’s political story. While ultimately victorious, Smith and the UCP must contend with a shifting political landscape, significant challenges with social cohesion and identity, and a volatile economic environment. How Smith navigates the rodeo ahead will have Albertans, and the rest of the country, watching with keen interest.
