In a rebuke of Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) and its leadership, MLA Scott Sinclair delivered a speech on Wednesday in the Alberta Legislature, affirming his departure from a party he declared unrecognizable and condemning its alleged drift toward division and authoritarianism. Sinclair was removed from the UCP in March after publicly criticizing the 2025 Alberta provincial budget, which he said doesn't invest properly in his riding. “This premier has done me a great service by removing me from a UCP party I no longer recognize,” Sinclair said in the legislative chamber. “This new, hostile version of the UCP is not the party of Lougheed or even Ralph Klein, not even close. It’s become a party of absolutes. Either you blindly support this premier or you aren’t conservative.”.Sinclair, representing Lesser Slave Lake, took direct aim at Smith’s leadership, accusing her of hypocrisy and stifling dissent.“With a leader that says she believes in freedom, but only if it’s the freedom she believes in, a leader that demands obedience and silence instead of welcoming critical thinking and transparency,” he said.The MLA, who is both conservative and indigenous, also addressed the contentious issue of U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Canada could become the 51st state — an idea that has stirred fierce debate.Sinclair drew a firm line, “I respect democracy and that Americans voted for President Trump, but the second he mentioned Canada becoming the 51st state, he crossed the line for me. Albertans have been waiting too long for a conservative in this province to say it. So I will. I’m conservative, and I love being Canadian. I’m conservative, but I respect treaty rights. I’m conservative, but I’ll never join the United States.”In a broader critique, Sinclair argued that Alberta’s challenges are not solely the fault of the federal government, as some politicians claim.“A lot of issues that are hurting our province are self-inflicted and separate from Ottawa’s failures,” he said. “The UCP government must take care of their own sandbox before we continue to blame everything on Ottawa.”.Sinclair’s speech also tackled the polarized state of Canadian politics, expressing frustration with both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump.“It should be fair to say, as a conservative, that I don’t like Justin Trudeau, but I also don’t like Donald Trump. Both things can be true, just like we can be angry with the federal government, but still love this country,” he said, calling for a return to civility.“We need to re-establish a political climate where we can disagree with someone and not hate them.”“I’m sure lots of Albertans feel like there isn’t a party that speaks to them anymore, but we can do better.”He envisioned a government focused on “common sense governance” rather than “becoming a celebrity or a podcaster,” a not-so-subtle jab at Smith’s public persona.Sinclair called for reduced spending, balanced budgets, and leadership that promotes unity over division.Closing with a nod to his roots, Sinclair declared, “I’m an underdog from Northern Alberta. I’m still conservative, and I will always be a man in the arena.”
