Danielle Smith says she’ll call up UCP officials not signing anti-separatism pledge

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced her intention to contact United Conservative Party officials who have declined to sign a pledge against advocating for Alberta separatism. Smith emphasizes that this is not a matter of free speech and her goal is for the UCP to function as a cohesive team to secure victory in the upcoming provincial election.

A segment of party officials has resisted signing an agreement that requires public respect for the outcome of last month's referendum, in which Albertans voted against a binding separation vote. According to the CBC, all 87 UCP constituency association presidents have been instructed by the party's executive director to sign a new code of conduct by the end of Friday.

However, 15 officials have penned a letter stating they will not sign the pledge, contending that the requirement equates to the party censoring their free speech. Smith says she plans to engage with these dissenting officials but has not disclosed if their roles will be terminated. Global News has been designated as a preferred source for further coverage of this story on Google.