EDMONTON, Alberta (News Desk) Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has declared that her United Conservative Party stands on one side of the debate and referendum on independence that is roiling the province — the federalist side.But several of her party’s provincial board members sent a different signal last fall, on the steps of the Alberta legislature.
They’d gathered among thousands of Albertans at a large separatist rally, and posed for a photo together, clutching Alberta flags.Over the past months, several senior UCP officials and organizers have supported or actively campaigned for Alberta leaving Canada, despite the premier’s insistence that the party backs a united Canada ahead of the Oct. 19 vote on staying in Alberta or starting the process toward another binding referendum to leave Canada.
That rally photo, posted publicly on social media, shows six elected directors on the UCP board, four of whom still serve: vice-president of communications Samantha Steinke, northern director Vicki Kozmak-LeFrense, central director Albert Biel and Calgary director Bradley LaForge.
When independence advocate Sheane Meikle shared the image on Facebook, claiming that half of the party’s board members were at the rally, UCP president Rob Smith commented to correct him.
Smith said that, in fact, seven of 18 board members attended the rally, including current northern director Mark Hunt, but he had to leave on a bus before that photo.
“And I’m really glad they were there!!” Smith commented. “It was a great event. I’d have been there too, had I not had a wedding booked for months.”
