Failed recall petition a vote of confidence in government: Alberta minister

EDMONTON – Alberta’s education minister says an unsuccessful recall petition launched against him represents a new vote of confidence in the government and the direction he’s taking the file.

Demetrios Nicolaides, in a letter to constituents posted to social media, said the campaign’s result validates the government’s priorities and has him “energized by the opportunity to keep building on the progress we have made together.”

“I view this result as a strong vote of confidence from the people of Calgary-Bow in the direction our government is taking and a validation of the work we are doing to build a more prosperous and resilient Alberta,” Nicolaides wrote Wednesday.

Nicolaides was the first of more than two dozen members of Alberta’s legislature to be targeted by recall petitions in the final months of 2025.

Jenny Yeremiy, the petitioner who tried to oust Nicolaides, submitted her petition this week after receiving just over 40 per cent of the 16,000 signatures it needed to trigger a vote on whether Nicolaides keeps his seat. 

Yeremiy, who has said she started the petition because she felt Nicolaides was failing to support public education, said Tuesday the petition still sends a message that thousands of the minister’s constituents are unhappy with the job he’s doing.

“We want to put on the record that there are 6,500-plus of us that are angry with the way (Nicolaides) is abusing his rights,” she said.

Of the 25 recall petitions still collecting signatures, all but two are against members of Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative caucus, including the premier. The two remaining are members of the Opposition NDP.

Many of the petitioners targeting Smith’s caucus have said they were motivated by the government using the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to halt a provincewide teachers strike at the end of October. The government also forced on teachers a contract with terms they had previously rejected.

Nicolaides, in his letter Wednesday, said the result of the petition served as an endorsement for how the government is managing education and other issues.

“This outcome serves as a renewed mandate for me to continue advocating for our community and to remain a steadfast voice for the policies that are keeping our education system world-class, strengthening our economy, improving our health-care services, and protecting Alberta’s interests on the national stage,” he said.

Earlier Wednesday, the provincial teachers union released the results of a survey of 5,700 teachers and other school leaders that suggested an overwhelming majority of respondents feel overloaded by conditions in the classroom and pessimistic about the future of the profession in the province.

The survey was done in the weeks that followed the government ordering teachers back to work. Over 90 per cent of respondents flagged the government’s move as a significant issue and many reported feeling “disempowered and disrespected” by the province.

“Forcing teachers to return to the same unsustainable working environments has significantly eroded our mental health, morale and job satisfaction, causing long-term harm to the profession,” Jason Schilling, the head of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, said Wednesday.

“This is not a local issue. It is a direct result of government policy choices, and it is not sustainable.”

In response to the survey results, Nicolaides’ press secretary, Garrett Koehler, said the government was investing billions into the education system and that commitments to hire 3,000 more teachers and 1,500 educational assistants will help reduce the workload teachers are facing.

Elections Alberta said Wednesday it had officially closed the books on Nicolaides’ recall petition and that it wouldn’t be verifying the signatures further since it failed to meet the threshold.

Nicolaides, in his letter, said the campaign’s low turnout proved it “was ultimately a frivolous exercise” but added that he knows his job is to represent all constituents, including those with concerns.

“My door is always open, and I look forward to seeing you in the community and continuing our dialogue on how we can best serve the needs of our families and local businesses,” he wrote.

The campaign against Nicolaides was the only one with a January deadline. Signatures for more than a dozen others are due next month, with the first being the petition against United Conservative backbencher Angela Pitt on Feb. 3.

Petitioners have three months to collect signatures equal to 60 per cent of the total number of votes cast in their constituency in the 2023 provincial election.

If successful, a constituency-wide vote would be held on whether the politician keeps their seat. If the member loses, a byelection would be held.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2026.