CALGARY — The Calgary-West United Conservative Party Constituency Association (CA) has announced that its members have unanimously passed a motion reaffirming their “strong and continued support” for Premier Danielle Smith.In an October 16 letter sent to Dustin van Vugt, executive director of the United Conservative Party, Sanjeev Kad, president of the Calgary-West UCP CA, said that his association “firmly stands behind Premier Smith and her leadership.”.The association also recognized her “commitment to advancing Alberta’s interests and delivering on the priorities of Albertans.”“As a result, the Association unanimously expressed its opposition to the holding of a Special General Meeting or Leadership Review,” Kad stated.Mike Ellis, Deputy premier and UCP MLA for Calgary-West, took to Facebook to celebrate the CA’s decision, saying, “Our board opposes any call for a leadership review or Special General Meeting. We stand firmly behind Premier Smith and our UCP government.”The news comes after several UCP CA’s passed motions to call for a leadership review of Smith.In September, The Highwood UCP CA board voted to become the first of 22 associations needed to trigger a Special General Meeting, passing the motion by a vote of 14-4. The same month, the Calgary-Buffalo CA also voted in favour of a leadership review following a “very uncomfortable meeting” according to what one source told the Western Standard. .EXCLUSIVE: UCP Calgary-Buffalo board passes leadership review motion at 'heated' meeting .According to the UCP’s governance manual and by-laws, the party’s leader is required to face a review at their Annual General Meeting every three years. Smith last came up for a review in 2024 and passed it with 91.5% of vote.She is not scheduled for another one until 2027. However, the party’s bylaws allow for CA’s to trigger an early review if 22 of the 87 pass a motion to so. The UCP can also trigger a review at a special general meeting if 2/3 of the party's board pass a motion, or if 1/4 of the CA boards vote for one.
