United Conservative Party (UCP) leader Danielle Smith said the candidate for Lacombe-Ponoka, Jennifer Johnson, used offensive language and won't be allowed to sit in caucus should she win on May 29..“The UCP candidate for Lacombe-Ponoka, Jennifer Johnson, used offensive language and a vile analogy when speaking about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community for which she has apologized," Smith said.."Elected officials have a responsibility to represent all communities. Although there are certainly legitimate policy discussions to be had on youth transgender issues, the language used by Ms. Johnson regarding children identifying as transgender is simply unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our party or province.."She will not sit as a member of the United Conservative caucus in the Legislature," Smith said.."I strongly encourage Ms. Johnson to meet with parents, students, teachers, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to learn, grow and inform herself about these issues and how to discuss them with dignity and in a manner respectful to all involved.".Smith said she encourages all candidates from all parties not to use this or any other election to provoke distrust, anxiety and hate between people for political purposes.."It is time to move forward," Smith said..The NDP released an audio recording from last fall when it claims Johnson is heard "making transphobic comments.".“It does not matter that we’re in the top 3% of the world. Who cares if they got 89% in Chemistry 30? Who cares that they’re entering post-secondary if they’re chemically castrated?” Johnson said in the recording implying that grades don't matter if children are mutilated..The Alberta NDP claims Johnson was talking about how Alberta's high test scores don’t matter because some students are transgender..“‘Enjoy (the cookies), I only put a teaspoon of poop in them, but it doesn’t matter because it’s only a teaspoon in the whole batch,'” the NDP claim Johnson said, which is comparing trans people to mixing a teaspoon of feces into a batch of baked goods..“Same idea — we can be top 3%, but that little bit of poop is what wrecks it.”.The comments made by Johnson were at a Western Unity Group forum last September..In the leaked recording, Johnson said “we’re allowing them to be chemically castrated and sterilized.”.She also allegedly accused teachers of showing elementary children hardcore pornography and suggested getting rid of sex education in K-12 schools..“These comments do not represent Lacombe-Ponoka or anywhere in Alberta. They are extreme, appalling, discriminatory, backwards, and they risk inciting hate and violence against 2SLGBTQ+ Albertans,” said Janis Irwin, Alberta NDP candidate for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood..In 2015, NDP candidate Deborah Drever was elected May 5 in the west-end riding of Calgary-Bow. But before she had a chance to be sworn in, Drever was suspended for an image posted on her Instagram account featuring Tories Ric McIver and Jim Prentice with the phrase “Gay boyz” written underneath it..In a statement announcing that Drever would sit as an Independent, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley issued an apology..“I apologize to all Albertans for the homophobic statements contained in this image, which are completely contrary to the views of our party and our future government,” said the premier-designate, who was officially sworn-in as Alberta’s 17th premier shortly after the apology statement..At the time, Notley’s spokeswoman, Cheryl Oates, said the NDP and party leader only became aware of the Instagram post and confirmed it with the new MLA..“It’s just not something we can defend,” Oates said..Dreever was welcomed back into caucus a few months later.
