Rath says stories on Danielle Smith 'out of context'

Jeff Rath released a statement on Tuesday regarding a report that Premier Danielle Smith might undergo a leadership review as UCP constituency associations react to Bill 14. On Monday, the Western Standard published an article outlining comments that Rath made over the weekend in an interview with John Bolton. That article was followed on Tuesday by a story featuring heated comments from UCP Board President Rob Smith. Rath turned to X to release a statement on Tuesday following the articles. .“Western Standard — please calm down. You are taking my Bolton interview way out of context,” wrote Rath to begin his statement posted on X.The articles relayed Rath’s claims that UCP Constituency Association presidents were contacting him, stating they would push for a leadership review of Premier Smith if she did not make changes to the proposed Bill 14. “The people that found the devils in the details were several CA presidents that I know, and I have to say they're hopping now,” said Rath in the interview when asked about the details in Bill 14. “And I mean, I like, I have Constituency Association presidents, UCP Constituency Association presidents, calling me and saying that if Danielle does not fix this problem that I'm about to tell you guys about, that they're going to be demanding a leadership review.”Rob Smith rejected Rath’s claims in a statement sent to the Western Standard, where he speaks harshly of Rath and his allegations. “I have been in touch with all 87 CA Presidents multiple times in the past 24 hours,” wrote Rob Smith. “Not a single one has asked or talked about a letter requesting an SGM (Special General Meeting)."“Not. A. Single. One.”.In his interview, Rath went on to say that the association presidents he talked to are “hopping mad” over the section in Bill 14 that amends the Elections Finances Contributions Act. The section amends legislation so that “only the leader of a registered party may provide a statement of endorsement for a candidate.” Current rules allow a party’s principal officer or the constituency association to endorse.“But to be clear, all I really said was that a number of CA board presidents were very upset over the entirely inappropriate amendment to the election regulations that had the appearance of a power grab,” Rath wrote in his post. “I was simply reporting that a number of CA presidents were upset enough over the proposed amendment that they were considering a leadership review. Don’t shoot the messenger.”.Rath spent roughly five minutes of the interview discussing the legislative change. “Well, what it means is, effectively, Danielle and her team have gone from her having two clear pits for MLAs, right, to now having all 87,” Rath said in the interview. “So, she's basically, she and her team are turning her into Justin Trudeau, where, if she doesn't sign your nomination papers, right, you can't run. So, think about what that does to the caucus and what that does to MLA, just let me finish this point.”“If you're a bad little boy or girl in caucus and you're not behaving the way Danielle wants you to behave, and you're not doing what the part you know like, not the party, but the Executive Council wants you to do, like even a sitting MLA, and I'm not going to name any names, because I don't want to single people out. But if you're an MLA that's seen as a bit of a maverick, right, Danielle can choose not to sign your nomination papers.” “Just the way that Justin Trudeau did when he told people running for the Liberals, ‘well, if you're not pro-choice,’ you know, ‘and you're pro-life, I'm not signing your nomination papers."Premier Smith’s office defended the amendment in a statement released to the Western Standard on Tuesday. “This legislative change does not change the party candidate selection process,” wrote the premier’s press secretary, Sam Blackett. “Under Bill 14, the internal nomination process and the vetting of candidates remain subject to the rules of individual parties, just as they do now.”.Rath then compared the new changes to those of a dictatorship.“So, she's literally turning the UCP, which has always been a grassroots organization, into a top-down organization like the Communist Party of the Soviet Union or the Liberal Party of Canada, where the leader, the dear leader, you know, has a veto over every single MLA that runs,” Rath said. “So, she can, she can, refuse people's nominations and then replace people with her pick.”He was then asked in the interview if he believes that Premier Smith could deny signing signing an endorsement because someone believes in the Alberta independence movement.“Well, I, you know, I think that's part of it,” Rath said “I mean, I think she understands that APP (Alberta Prosperity Project) has been very busy taking over constituency association boards in the province, and we have a lot of pro-independence constituency boards in Alberta now, and they don't like it.”Rath further suggested that the change is a way for Smith and her cabinet to protect themselves. “I mean, all the Kenneyites at the cabinet, all the, you know, really, all the people we want to get rid of, right?” Rath said. “You know, they're all holdovers from Jason Kenney. They're all part of the cocktail cabinet, locking us up in our homes.”He named Minister Adriana LaGrange and Minister Mickey Amery as two “holdovers.” Then he returned to his speculation that the changes in Bill 14 could be motivated by a desire to prevent the UCP from having pro-independence candidates. “Obviously, they do not want, you know, a caucus full of people that are in favour of independence,” Rath said. “They do not want the UCP, you know, to formally become an independence party, which is what it is now, if you look at, if you listen to the base, right?”“So, they've now stuck this provision into Bill 14, so that Danielle Smith literally can become, you know, the fascist dictator of the UCP, and could act just like Justin Trudeau at deciding who gets to be an MLA or who doesn't get to be an MLA.”.Bolton then asked Rath to clarify whether he believes that is something that could be coming, and Rath reiterated his report of a potential leadership review. “I'm hearing from constituency presidents across the province that if she doesn't back down on those clauses,” Rath said. “Keep in mind, I mean, the bill is just tabled, you know, they still have an opportunity to amend the bill, you know, in second reading or whatever.”“That if she doesn't back down on those clauses, you know that there's likely to be an SGM called, a Special General Meeting called, in the new year to review her leadership, because people are not in the mood to have Danielle declare herself as the god Empress of the UCP.”.In his statement, Rath asserted that he is not intending to run for political office.“As to any speculation that I EVER intend to run for public office, this is completely false,” Rath said. “I will NEVER run for public office. My only goal is to get Alberta out of Canada.”Following the Western Standard articles, Rath has faced criticism from individuals on both sides of the Alberta independence movement, who claim he is damaging the movement and deterring potential supporters. “As I’m not the leader of anything, no one can remove me,” Rath said in his X statement. “I will keep speaking my mind and speaking truth to power until Alberta is free.”.Rath concluded his statement on X with a parting shot to Premier Smith and others. “Everyone needs to stop clutching their pearls,” Rath said. “I am not trying to remove @ABDanielleSmith as leader of the UCP. Her advisors are doing a fine job of that without any assistance from me.”

Rath says stories on Danielle Smith 'out of context'

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