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Marlaina Danielle Smith (born April 1, 1971) is a Canadian politician, former lobbyist, former columnist and media personality who has served as the 19th premier of Alberta and leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) since 2022.

Key Information

Born in Calgary, Smith attended the University of Calgary and earned degrees in English and economics. After briefly serving as a trustee for the Calgary Board of Education, she worked as a journalist in print, radio and television, sharing opinions on politics and healthcare. During this time she also worked as the director of provincial affairs for Alberta with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. She entered provincial politics in 2009, becoming the leader of the Wildrose Party. Smith contributed to the growth of the party, which formed the Official Opposition after the 2012 election. Smith won a seat in the Legislative Assembly for Highwood in that election, and served as leader of the Opposition until 2014, when she resigned to join the governing Progressive Conservatives (PCs). Smith was defeated in her bid for the PC nomination in Highwood for the 2015 election.

Between 2015 and 2022, Smith worked in talk radio and served as the president of the Alberta Enterprise Group. Upon Premier Jason Kenney's resignation announcement on May 18, 2022, Smith announced her campaign in the United Conservative Party leadership election. On October 6, Smith won the leadership on the sixth count. She was sworn in as premier on October 11 and became MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat on November 8, 2022. She led the UCP to reelection as a majority government in the 2023 general election.

Smith's policies have primarily focused on extending Albertan provincial autonomy. In 2022, her government passed the Alberta Sovereignty Act, which seeks to protect Alberta from federal policies it deems detrimental to the province. Smith's government has also begun the process of withdrawing Alberta from the Canada Pension Plan to create a pension plan exclusive to the province's residents.

Early life and education

[edit]

Marlaina Danielle Smith[3][4] was born in Calgary[5] on April 1, 1971,[6] the second of five children. She is the daughter of Sharon (Hawkins) and Doug Smith, an oilfield consultant and previously a board member for the Wildrose Party.[7][8] She is named after the song "Marlena" by The Four Seasons.[9] Her paternal great-grandfather, Philipus Kolodnicki, a Ruthenian from Austria, changed his surname to Smith after arriving in Canada in the early 1900s. Her maternal ancestors came to Canada via the United States. In 2022, Smith's claims of "mixed-race ancestry" and indigenous ancestry on her maternal side were questioned.[10][11]

Growing up, her family lived in subsidized housing.[12] As a student she worked at McDonald's, at a bingo parlour and at restaurants bussing tables.[9]

Smith described her parents as "reliably conservative" in an interview with the National Post. When Smith was a grade 8 student, she said she came home praising a teacher who spoke positively about communism, and her father argued otherwise.[13] Smith said she had family in Ukraine, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. "Then he realized we needed to talk a lot more around the dinner table," Smith told The Canadian Press in 2014.[13]

She is also a past member of the Girl Guides of Canada and was featured in a 2013 museum exhibit about prominent Girl Guides at the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery.[14] She is a fan of the young-adult fantasy novel Eragon by Christopher Paolini, and once considered becoming a novelist in the science fiction and fantasy genres.[13][15]

Smith attended the University of Calgary and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1993 and economics in 1995.[13] The university had a strong culture of conservative and progressive political activism and debate when Smith was a student. Her classmates included Ezra Levant; Rob Anders; Naheed Nenshi; and Kevin Bosch, who became an adviser to prime ministers Paul Martin and Justin Trudeau.[13][9] One of her classes was taught by former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed. The same class had Ian Brodie, who became chief of staff for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as a teachers' aide.[13] It was at the University of Calgary where she met Tom Flanagan, a conservative political activist and advisor, who was a professor in the political science department while Smith studied economics.

In 1996, Flanagan recommended Smith for a one-year public policy internship with the Fraser Institute. During her time here, she coauthored a climate change denialist paper called "Environmental Indicators for Canada and the United States" with Boris DeWiel, Steven F. Hayward, and Laura Jones - which sought to "separate the facts from alarmist misinformation," and "bring balance to the environmental debate". The report argued that "contrary to public opinion, in most instances objectives for protecting human health and the environment are being met, pollution and wastes are being controlled, and resources and land are being sustainably and effectively managed".[16]

Flanagan later became her campaign manager during the 2012 Alberta general election.[9] She was active in the campus Progressive Conservatives and was eventually elected president of the club.[17] She also became involved in political campaigning and met her first husband, Sean McKinsley.[9] After graduating with an English major, Smith briefly lived in Vancouver where she worked as a waitress and as an extra in movie and TV productions.[9]

Early political and media career

[edit]

Calgary Board of Education

[edit]

In 1998, Smith entered politics when she ran for the board of trustees of the Calgary Board of Education. She won, but less than a year later, the chairwoman complained that the board had become dysfunctional. In response, the provincial Minister of Learning, Lyle Oberg, dismissed the entire board after 11 months into their term.[17][9]

Years later, Smith said she had been far too strident during her tenure as a board trustee and said the experience taught her to be more tolerant of those with whom she disagreed.[18] Subsequently, Smith pursued work as an advocate for ranchers, farmers and other rural landowners with the Alberta Property Rights Initiative and the Canadian Property Rights Research Institute.[19] During her time at the Canadian Property Rights Research Institute, she coauthored a paper on endangered species.

Career as Calgary Herald columnist and talk radio host

[edit]

After her time as a school board trustee Smith joined the Calgary Herald as a columnist with the editorial board. During the 1999–2000 writers' strike at the Herald, she crossed the picket line as a strikebreaker writer for the paper, at that time owned by Conrad Black.[20] Her columns included coverage of city hall and health reform, but also ventured into other topics. In 2003, she wrote a column supporting the legalisation of sex work and proposed the creation of a red-light district in Calgary.[21] That same year, she also wrote an article titled "Anti-smoking lobby does more harm than good", in which she stated that smoking cigarettes can "reduce the risk of disease".[22]

She then went on to succeed Charles Adler as host of the national current affairs program Global Sunday, a Sunday-afternoon interview show on Global Television. She also hosted two talk radio programs focused on health policy and property rights.[17][19]

She met her second husband, David Moretta, who was an executive producer with Global Television at the time and would go on to be a former executive producer with Sun Media.[19]

In 2004, Smith was named one of Calgary's "Top 40 Under 40".[23]

In September 2006, she co-hosted the Calgary Congress, a national assembly of citizens and economic and constitutional specialists to consider basic federal reforms for Canada.[24]

Smith was hired by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business in 2006, becoming a provincial director for Alberta. While employed here, she coauthored a paper called "Achieving Eco-prosperity"

Early provincial political career (2009–2015)

[edit]

During the 2006 PC leadership election, Smith supported Ted Morton. Morton lost to Ed Stelmach, and Smith became increasingly disillusioned with what she called Stelmach's "free-spending ways".[17] She cited the 2008 provincial budget as the point where she determined that Stelmach's government had 'lost its way'.[25]

Wildrose Party

[edit]

Smith quit the PC party in 2009 and joined the Wildrose Alliance.[18] The Tories sent MLA Rob Anderson, one of the more fiscally conservative members of their caucus, to talk Smith out of it. Years later, Smith recalled that Anderson told her that despite the Tories' reckless spending and unwillingness to listen to the backbench, they were the only credible centre-right party in the province. Smith refused to stay, saying that there was no hope of restoring Alberta to fiscal sanity under the Tories, and that the Wildrose was the only credible chance at electing a fiscally conservative government. As far as she was concerned, she told Anderson, "This (Tory) government is beyond redemption. It's out of control."[26]

Later that year, Smith was recruited by Wildrose officials to run for the leadership of the party.[17][27] During the course of the leadership campaign outgoing leader Paul Hinman won in a by-election in the riding of Calgary-Glenmore.[28] His win meant he was one of four in the Wildrose caucus; by the time Smith was elected leader on October 17, 2009, support for the party had quadrupled since the 2008 election.[29][30] After Smith was elected leader, support for the Wildrose Party continued to grow.[31] Smith convinced three PCs who served in government to cross the floor to join the Wildrose Party: Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth, and later Guy Boutiller.[18]

In early 2011, she was featured in an episode of CBC Television's Make the Politician Work.[32]

2012 election

[edit]
Smith in 2012

For most of the time before the 2012 provincial election, it appeared that Smith was poised to become the first woman to lead a party to victory in an Alberta election.[33] Numerous polls indicated that the Wildrose Party could defeat the governing Progressive Conservatives, led by Premier Alison Redford. The PCs had governed the province since 1971, the second-longest unbroken run in government at the provincial level.[34][35][36]

The Wildrose Party won 17 seats[37] on 34.3% of the popular vote, and took over Official Opposition status from the Alberta Liberal Party. Smith was elected to the Legislature from Highwood, just south of Calgary, on the same day, defeating John Barlow, editor of the Okotoks Western Wheel and two other candidates.[17][38][39]

Political pundits suggested Wildrose lost their early polling lead over the Progressive Conservatives due to Smith's defence of two Wildrose candidates who had made controversial remarks. Allan Hunsperger, running in an Edmonton riding, had written a blog post claiming that gays would end up in a "lake of fire" if they did not renounce their lifestyle. Ron Leech had claimed he would have a leg up on the competition in his Calgary riding because he was white.[40] According to the National Post, Hunsperger and Leech's extreme views, as well as Smith's refusal to condemn them, cost her a chance of unseating Redford.[37] Ultimately, Wildrose was denied victory mainly because it was unable to get any foothold in the urban areas. It won only two seats in Calgary and was completely shut out in Edmonton.

In appraising the election results at the Wildrose 2012 annual general meeting, Smith advocated freezing out candidates who cannot respectfully communicate their views in future elections. Smith asked members to adopt a forward-looking policy platform for the next election.[41]

Rejoining the Progressive Conservative Party

[edit]
Smith and Jim Prentice announcing that she and eight other Wildrose MLAs would be crossing the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives.

After Redford left politics in the spring of 2014 due to allegations of corruption, the Wildrose party was initially the major beneficiary. But this momentum stalled when former federal cabinet minister Jim Prentice became PC leader and premier. Under Prentice, the PCs swept four by-elections in October.[26] Smith was dealt a second blow at the Wildrose annual general meeting, when an anti-discrimination resolution she strongly supported was voted down while she was out of the room.[42] Smith told CBC News that the defeat of the anti-discrimination resolution led her to consider returning to the PCs.[42]

On December 17, 2014, Smith announced that she, deputy leader Rob Anderson, and seven other Wildrose MLAs were crossing the floor to join the PCs.[43] Smith had criticized two other Wildrose MLAs for defecting to the PCs a month earlier; she had publicly said, "there'll be no more floor crossings."[44] But it was later revealed that Smith and Prentice had been in talks about a possible merger for months.[45] Smith said that several conversations with Prentice revealed that they shared much common ground, particularly on fiscal issues. Ultimately, she concluded that it made little sense for her to continue in opposition. "If you're going to be the official Opposition leader," she said, "you have to really want to take down the government and really take down the premier. I don't want to take down this premier. I want this premier to succeed."[46] Several weeks after Smith joined the Progressive Conservatives, in a Facebook post, she apologized for the anger her move caused and for not consulting with Albertans before making the decision. At the same time, she stood by her decision to "unify conservatives" in the province and said she intended to seek the Progressive Conservative nomination in Highwood for the next election.[47][48][49]

Smith was defeated in her bid for the PC nomination in Highwood by Okotoks Councillor Carrie Fischer on March 28, 2015. Smith's defeat was attributed to her floor-crossing, which angered many in her riding.[50] Fischer lost to Wildrose candidate Wayne Anderson in the general election.[51]

Out of politics (2015–2022)

[edit]

Talk radio

[edit]

In the intervening period, Smith hosted a talk radio program on CHQR in Calgary.[52] On January 11, 2021, she announced that she was leaving her talk show and Twitter, citing attacks from Twitter trolls, effective February 19, 2021.[53]

On March 2018, wrote an opinion article supporting the defunding of public schools.[54][55] In July 2021, Smith wrote an opinion article supporting Jason Kenney's referendum on equalization payments, held on October 18, 2021.[56]

Career as a lobbyist

[edit]

In June 2019, Smith registered as a lobbyist for the Alberta Enterprise Group, an association where Smith was also the president.[57] At that time Smith lobbied the provincial government on behalf of industry for the RStar program.[58]

UCP leadership race

[edit]

On May 18, 2022, Smith announced that she was launching a campaign to seek the leadership of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, after the resignation of sitting premier and UCP leader Jason Kenney.[59][60] Smith was perceived to be the frontrunner among party members in the race to replace Kenney according to internal polling released to the Calgary Sun.[61]

Smith's central policy was to enact what she called the Alberta Sovereignty Act if she became premier. The proposal argued for more autonomy for Alberta in Confederation and called on the provincial legislature to make determinations on when to ignore federal legislation infringing upon Alberta's jurisdiction.[62] Six of Smith's opponents in the leadership race criticized the act.[63] Jason Kenney described it as a "full-frontal attack on the rule of law", as well as a step towards separation and a "banana republic".[64]

On October 6, Smith won the UCP leadership vote with 53.77% of the vote on the sixth count—the contest was conducted using instant-runoff voting—to become the premier-designate.[65] She was sworn in as the 19th premier and minister of Intergovernmental Relations on October 11.[66] Preceded by Herbert Greenfield, William Aberhart and Jim Prentice in this regard, she was the last in a series of persons who ascended to the premier's position without holding a seat in the legislature.

Smith's campaign ran a deficit of $26,792 after spending $1,389,829 on her successful campaign.[67]

Premier of Alberta (2022–present)

[edit]
Main article: Premiership of Danielle Smith

30th Alberta Legislature

[edit]

After being sworn in as premier, Smith said that she would not impose any further measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta.[68][69] She also said that people who are unvaccinated should be protected under the Alberta Human Rights Act; alluding to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, she said that they have been "the most discriminated against group that I've ever witnessed in my lifetime",[70][71][72] had "faced the most restrictions on their freedoms in the last year", and that "we are not going to create a segregated society on the basis of a medical choice". The remarks faced criticism for alleged trivialization of discrimination faced by minority groups, for which Smith did not apologize.[68][69][73]

On October 24, Smith pulled Alberta from the World Economic Forum Global Coalition for Value in Healthcare, saying that she would not "work with a group that talks about controlling governments." "I find it distasteful when billionaires brag about how much control they have over political leaders," she said.[74][75][76]

As Smith was not a member of the Legislative Assembly when she became premier, she ran in a by-election for the southern Alberta seat of Brooks-Medicine Hat on November 8, 2022.[77] The incumbent, fellow UCP MLA Michaela Frey, resigned soon after Smith was elected leader and premier, and had encouraged Smith to run.[78] Longstanding convention in Westminster systems when the leader of the governing party is not a member of the legislature to either hold a general election or a by-election, often caused by a sitting member in a safe seat resigning in order to allow the newly elected leader a chance to enter the legislature. Smith had previously announced plans to seek the UCP nomination in Livingstone-Macleod, before she was elected party leader. She won the by-election with 54.5% of the vote.[79]

In late November 2022, Smith withdrew her plan to introduce a bill that would add unvaccinated individuals as a protected class under the Alberta Human Rights Act; Smith continued to promote an intent for herself and her ministers to contact businesses and organizations that were still "discriminating" via COVID-19 vaccine mandates and ask them to "reconsider their vaccination policy in the light of new evidence". She said, "most employers have made the responsible decision to not discriminate against their workers", and for people to inform their MLAs "If there is still discrimination".[80][81][82] In December 2022 the legislature passed the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act.[83]

In May 2023 as wildfires swept the province and a state of emergency was declared,[84] Smith was asked about the UCP government's cuts to the firefighting budget. Between 10 and 20 per cent of the watchtowers by the 2019 budget, and the Aerial Rapattack fire service team was terminated. The firefighting budget was cut from $130 million in 2018-19 to $100 million in 2023-24 and the contingency fund for “wildfire fighting” was treated as a political football.[85][86]

The Alberta ethics commissioner started investigating Smith in April 2023 for her alleged interference with the administration of justice.[87] Smith had previously promised pardons for those guilty of COVID-19 violations and indicated she was in regular contact with Crown prosecutors.[88] In May 2023 the ethics commissioner found that Smith had contravened the Conflict of Interest Act by discussing criminal charges against Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski with the justice minister Tyler Shandro and with Pawlowski himself.[89]

31st Alberta Legislature

[edit]

In the May 2023 Alberta general election, Smith led the UCP to a second consecutive majority government, albeit with a reduced majority, defeating the New Democratic Party led by Rachel Notley.[90][91] The election campaign was close and one of the fiercest in Alberta's history.[92] Smith was reelected in her riding.[93] Although the UCP's share of the vote declined only slightly (from 55% to 53%), the opposition vote coalesced behind the NDP, which resulted in a loss of 11 seats for the UCP. Notably, the UCP came in second place in Calgary, which had been a power base for the centre-right in Alberta for years, and failed to win any seats in Edmonton. But the UCP won all but four seats outside Edmonton and Calgary. Smith thus became the third woman to lead a party to a win in an Alberta general election, after Redford and Notley.

On August 3, 2023, the Smith government announced that it was pausing all approvals in the province renewable energy industry for six months.[94][95] On February 28, 2024, Smith announced further restrictions on renewable energy development.[96] Mike Law, the CEO of the independent Alberta Electric System Operator, was opposed to the moratorium because it would send a "closed-for-business message" and send investments into a "tailspin."[97] Smith also claimed that Alberta Utilities Commission and Rural Municipalities of Alberta both supported her decision to pause development. However, both organizations denied it.[98]

In November 2024, Smith won a mandatory leadership review by UCP members attending convention with 91.5% of the vote, and only 4633 ballots cast. By comparison, she won with a much more narrow margin of 53% in the 2022 leadership race, and over 80,000 ballots were cast.[99][100]

Amid US President Donald Trump's discussions of potential tariffs on Canada and remarks about the possibility of annexing Canada, Smith was the only premier who refused to sign a joint statement by Canadian premiers to coordinate a response in case Trump acted on his threats.[101] Amid the threats, she visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.[102][103] She was scheduled to attend Trump's inauguration, but was unable because the event was moved into a small indoor venue due to bad weather.[104] On March 20, 2025, it was revealed that Smith did an interview with Breitbart two weeks before in which she said that she pressed the Trump administration to pause the implementation of tariffs as a way for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to be elected as Prime Minister.[105][106] Smith said that she had reasoned that the implementation of the tariffs would benefit the Liberal Party of Canada polling numbers and that Poilievre would be more in line with the Trump administration.[105][107]

In May, following the 2025 Canadian federal election, the Smith government introduced a bill which revised the Citizen Initiative Act by lowering the requirements to citizen-led referendum.[108][109] She later announced that her government would honour a referendum on Alberta's separation from Canada if enough signatures where gathered.[108][110] The bill was revised in December so that Elections Alberta or the courts could not question the constitutional validity of the referendum.[111] Judge Colin Feasby, who was reviewing the constitutionality of a proposed referendum question before the new bill, criticized the new bill as undemocratic.[112] Former Progressive Conservative justice ministers Ken Rostad and Verlyn Olson with 30 other lawyers wrote a letter saying these changes as well as “unacceptable” attacks on Alberta justice system and were aligning her government with authoritarianism.[113] Country music singer Corb Lund, whose formerly approved petition initiative against coal mining in Alberta’s Rockies was cancelled by the new bill, was also critical of the changes.[114]

On May 26, 2025, Smith announced her intention to ban books containing "sexual content" from school libraries in Alberta.[115] A list of books to be banned was provided for by anti-LGBTQ groups Parents for Choice in Education (a parental rights group) and Action4Canada.[116] The book ban was to be implemented for October 1 but was put on pause on September 2 after backlash arose when the Edmonton’s public school board complied a list of 200 titles that would need to be removed.[117][118]

During the 2025 Calgary Stampede, Smith signed a non-binding agreement with the Ontario government to reduce interprovincial trade barriers in the midst of the United States trade war with Canada.[119]

In July 2025, a report was published about the 2024 Jasper wildfire, stating the Alberta government hindered firefighting efforts with constant requests for information and by seeking to exercise decision-making authority, despite not being jurisdictionally responsible. The report stated the interference disrupted the focus of incident commanders and forced them to spend time managing inquiries and issues instead of fighting the fire and leading the re-entry of residents, resulting in more damage being caused that could have otherwise been prevented.[120] Smith demanded the report be retracted and that the fire-stricken town of Jasper apologize for it,[121] with Jasper mayor Richard Ireland responding that they would stand by the report and not retract it.[122]

On September 29, 2025, the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) announced a teachers' strike as a result of multiple disagreements with Smith's government over the terms of a new labour contract.[123] The strike began on October 6, 2025, with 51,000 union members on strike.[124][125] Due to the strike, all public education classes were cancelled, impacting 730,000 students,[126][127][128] and 2,500 public, separate, and francophone schools.[129] After the strike announcement, multiple rallies were organized across Alberta (primarily in Calgary and Edmonton),[130] mainly to support educators.[131] A notable rally occurred on October 5, 2025, at the Alberta Legislature Building, where thousands of people attended.[132][133][134] Smith ordered teachers back to work on October 29, following the passage of the Back to School Act (Bill 2), which invokes the notwithstanding clause.[135][136] Because of this, teachers are not permitted to strike until August 31, 2028, when the legislation expires.[137]

Albertan students participating in walkouts to support teachers.

In November 2025, Smith reached a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney to build an oil pipeline from Alberta to the British Columbia Coast. Opposed by British Columbia's David Eby and most local First Nations, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) exempted the project from climate legislation such as the greenhouse gas emissions cap, but mandated that Alberta invest in a carbon capture system for the Athabasca oil sands.[138]

On December 10, 2025, a recall petition was approved, seeking to remove Smith from office, bringing the total number of recall petitions for UCP members to 18.[139] Because of this, Smith became the first premier in nearly 90 years (after William Aberhart) to face a citizen recall.[140] The petitioner, Heather VanSnick, claimed that Smith does not live in the community she represents and has not made efforts to communicate with her constituents since taking office.[139] The petitioners have three months to collect signatures equalling 60% of the number of votes cast in the constituency in 2023, and if successful, a vote will be held on whether Smith retains her seat.[139]

In January 2026, after Smith said that she wishes she could “direct” judges, Alberta's three chief justices: Chief Justice of Alberta Dawn Pentelechuk, Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Kent Davidson and Court of Justice Chief Justice James Hunter issued a public statement emphasizing that independence of the three branches of government and advocated that each branch respect each other.[141]

Political views and public image

[edit]

Smith has been described as "libertarian on moral issues" by The Globe and Mail in 2012,[18] a "populist Conservative" by Politico in 2023,[142] "far-right" by The New York Times in 2023[143] and a "political chameleon" by the Walrus in 2025.[144] In a 2023 interview with the Calgary Sun, she self-identified as a "caring conservative".[145] Smith has been described as media-savvy and adept at presenting a professional and polished image.[146]

Smith shared a mentor, political scientist Tom Flanagan, with former Reform Party leader Preston Manning and former prime minister Stephen Harper. She has an affinity with Manning's movement and Harper's government.[18] Smith distanced herself and the Wildrose Party from Flanagan in February 2013 after he made controversial remarks on child pornography.[147][148] She is also an admirer of Ayn Rand, John Locke, Margaret Thatcher and the Calgary School.[13][149]

During the 2012 election, Smith said that she was pro-choice and supported same-sex marriage.[150] While she was a columnist with the Calgary Herald, she argued in favour of legalizing sex work.[21]

During her UCP leadership campaign in 2022, Smith proposed checking transgender athletes' testosterone levels before competing against cisgender women and a separate category for women with high testosterone levels.[151] While she was leader of the Wildrose Party, Smith supported conscience rights legislation for health care workers[152] and opposed publicly funding gender-affirming surgeries.[153]In February 2024, Smith announced a ban of gender-affirming healthcare for those 17 and under (including a ban on puberty blockers for those 15 and under), the requirement of parental consent for students aged 15 and under to be referred to by a different name or different gender pronouns, the requirement of parents to give their consent before having their children taught human sexuality, and that third-party resources on sexuality be approved by the Education Ministry.[154][155] Smith announced a ban of trans women competing in women's sports in Alberta.[156] The ban would not include a ban on women's shelters, women's prisons or women's changing rooms.[157][158]

In 2023, a new "Alberta is Calling" campaign was launched by Smith's government, ostensibly to bring skilled workers to Alberta by spending $10 million on advertisements in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.[159] A $5000 relocation bonus was offered to eligible participants.[159] In April 2024, Smith said she wanted to see the city of Red Deer grow from a population of around 100,000 to 1 million "in a few years' time."[160] In August, Smith said she wanted to double Alberta's population to 10 million in order to gain "more political power." After criticism from conservatives her government issued a statement "walking back" Smith's intentions citing how population growth would further impact housing and infrastructure.[161]

Controversies

[edit]

On the Russia-Ukraine war

[edit]

After she became premier, it was revealed that she made comments on April 29 during a Locals.com livestream about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Smith argued for a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine and advocated for Ukraine's neutrality. She also made subsequently deleted posts in March that questioned whether breakaway regions in Ukraine should be able to govern independently, and whether NATO played a role in the invasion, citing a conspiracy theory promoted by Tucker Carlson alleging 'secret U.S. funded biolabs' in Ukraine.[162] On October 16, she said that she "stands with the Ukrainian people" and advocated for diplomacy to "spare millions of Ukrainian lives."[163]

Public health

[edit]

Smith has been criticized for making false claims about E. coli as a cure for COVID-19, and statements that critics said blamed stage-4 cancer patients for their diagnosis.[164][165][166][72] She has since apologised for making statements on E. coli[164] and said her statements on cancer were meant to express that preventative health measures are an important means to help combat cancer.[166] Smith also made posts on Locals.com critical of COVID-19 vaccines,[167] and said in an interview that the COVID-19 vaccine "doesn't work very well".[168]

In an interview on November 10, 2021, Smith said she was not wearing a Remembrance Day poppy because politicians and public health officials had "ruined it for her" by taking away Canadians' freedoms through public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, and that citizens who went along with public health measures and were vaccinated had fallen for the "charms of a tyrant" in the same way that Germans had fallen for Adolf Hitler.[169][170] She elaborated, "That's the test here, is we've seen it. We have 75 per cent of the public who say not only hit me, but hit me harder, and keep me away from those dirty unvaxxed."[169][170] When the interview resurfaced in 2023, Smith apologized, writing, "As everyone knows, I was against the use of vaccine mandates during COVID. ... However, the horrors of the Holocaust are without precedent, and no one should make any modern-day comparisons that minimize the experience of the Holocaust and suffering under Hitler, nor the sacrifice of our veterans."[169]

During her campaign for the UCP leadership, Smith conducted an interview with a naturopathic physician, discussing lifestyle for the prevention of cancer and how Smith's health savings account proposal could help with that. She said "When you think about everything that built up before you got to stage 4 [of cancer] and that diagnosis—that's completely within your control and there's something you can do about that that is different."[170] NDP leader Rachel Notley and Smith's fellow candidates including Brian Jean criticized this comment, with Jean (who lost a son to cancer) saying "You [Smith] saying to someone that their cancer is 'completely within your control' before stage four is insensitive, hurtful, and outright untrue. Please stop."[170]

Ethics in governance

[edit]

On May 17, 2023, an investigation by Alberta Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler found that Smith had violated section 3 of the Conflicts of Interest Act[171] by talking to the Alberta Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Alberta about charges in an ongoing criminal case against far-right street preacher and COVID-19 protestor Artur Pawlowski.[172][173]

A news-leak on December 18, 2023, revealed allegations of an ongoing ethics probe into restructuring at Alberta Health Services, including the rapid hiring and firing of Deena Hinshaw for a position on their Indigenous Wellness Core team just days before starting. One physician at Alberta Health Services resigned in protest, claiming 'political interference from Danielle Smith's office', and a letter signed by over 200 physicians called for an investigation into the matter.[174]

In February 2025, The Globe and Mail obtained a letter from lawyers of Athana Mentzelopoulos, the former head of Alberta Health Services, that the Smith government dismissed her two days before she was scheduled to meet with the province's auditor-general to discuss her investigation into inflated procurement contracts and contracting processes.[175] Mentzelopoulos also alleged that the premier's then-chief of staff, Marshall Smith, interfered in AHS contract negotiations.[176] Mentzelopoulos was investigating AHS's relationship and contracts with MHCare, a company owned by Sam Mraiche, who imported children's medicine from Turkey, and Alberta Surgical Group (ASG), a private surgical outlet.[176] Doug Wylie, the auditor-general, said that he is examining procurement and contracting processes within AHS.[177] Smith later called the allegations troubling but denied them.[177] In March, the RCMP launched an investigation after a complaint was raised.[175] In April, former Infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie, who was dismissed from caucus two weeks earlier over his criticism of the government’s lack of transparency surrounding the allegations, sent the auditor-general meeting notes that he kept as evidence that Smith and Health minister Adriana LaGrange misled cabinet.[178]

Chemtrails

[edit]

At the 28 September, 2024, UCP Town Hall in Edmonton, Smith responded to a concern that the municipality was being sprayed by so-called chemtrails[179]—a "long-held conspiracy theory" that airplane condensation vapours are purposeful nefarious acts.[180][181] Smith said, "Another person told me, if anyone is doing it, it's the U.S. Department of Defense."[182][180][181][183] While Smith said she had inquired about airspace regulations over the weekend, Nav Canada said they had received no queries from the provincial government.[181][183] According to an Associated Press article, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) said there are no NORAD flights involving the spraying of chemicals in Canada.[181][183] Timothy Caulfield said that in this "age of misinformation", conspiracy theories are detrimental to democracies globally. When a political leader does not identify a conspiracy theory as such and correctly answering that it is not true, it is "horrifying".[180] He added that Smith's comments contribute to the "normalization of conspiracy theories" such as "lizard aliens and a flat earth".[184]

Ancestry claims and residential school gravesites

[edit]

Smith has made claims about her ancestry that have been debunked by genealogists and Canadian immigration records.[citation needed] Her paternal great-grandfather was Philipus Kolodnicki, whose name was anglicized to "Philip Smith" upon arriving in Canada. In October 2022, she claimed Kolodnicki left Ukraine after the First World War, which ended in 1918, to escape communism. She said her political beliefs were "largely born out of a complete distrust of the socialism from which my great-grandfather fled."[185] In a 2012 profile in The Globe and Mail, Smith claimed Kolodnicki was a Ukrainian immigrant who arrived in Canada in 1915.[18][25]

Immigration records reviewed by the Toronto Star showed Kolodnicki arrived in Canada in 1913, before either the First World War or the 1917 October Revolution. Kolodnicki also listed his nation of origin as Austria and his race as Ruthenian, a term that at the time referred to the ancestors of modern Ukrainians, Belarusians and Rusyns.[185]

Beginning in 2012, Smith publicly claimed she had Cherokee roots through her great-great-grandmother, Mary Frances Crowe. Smith also claimed Crowe was a victim of the Trail of Tears and forcibly relocated to Kansas in the 1830s.[186] An investigation by APTN National News found Crowe was born in 1870 in Georgia, about 20 years after the U.S. government forced the Cherokee out of their homelands.[186] Kathy Griffin, a Cherokee genealogist in Texas who worked with APTN, could not find proof that any of Smith's ancestors were members of the historical Cherokee tribes, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma, or the Cherokee Nation. Smith's ancestors also did not appear on the Dawes Roll, a U.S. registry cataloguing members of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole.[186]

Following APTN's story, Smith's press secretary said Smith had not done a "deep dive into her ancestry" and "heard about her heritage from her loved ones".[187] Smith also made posts on Locals.com that questioned the legitimacy of reports that unmarked graves had been found at residential schools.[167] In August 2025, Smith was subject to another controversy when she was seen wearing a traditional First Nations ribbon skirt, receiving criticism from some in the Indigenous community due to the sacred nature of ribbon skirts.[188]

Electoral history

[edit]

2023 general election

[edit]
2023 Alberta general election: Brooks-Medicine Hat
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Danielle Smith 13,315 66.49 +11.98
New Democratic Gwendoline Dirk 5,477 27.35 +0.61
Alberta Party Barry Morishita 1,233 6.16 -10.37
Total 20,025 99.54 –
Rejected and declined 92 0.46
Turnout 20,117 56.85
Eligible voters 35,385
United Conservative hold Swing -1.82
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[189]

2022 by-election

[edit]
Alberta provincial by-election, 8 November 2022: Brooks-Medicine Hat
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Conservative Danielle Smith 6,919 54.51 -6.15
New Democratic Gwendoline Dirk 3,394 26.74 +8.85
Alberta Party Barry Morishita 2,098 16.53 +9.60
Alberta Independence Bob Blayone 225 1.77 +0.80
Wildrose Independence Jeevan Mangat 56 0.44
Total valid votes 12,692
Total rejected ballots 45
Turnout 12,695 35.51 -30.27
Eligible voters 35,872
United Conservative hold Swing -7.48
Elections Alberta[190]

2022 United Conservative leadership election

[edit]
2022 United Conservative Party leadership election
Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Danielle Smith 34,549 41.3 34,981 41.4 35,095 41.7 38,496 46.2 39,270 47.7 42,423 53.77
Travis Toews 24,831 29.4 25,054 29.7 25,593 30.4 26,592 31.9 30,794 37.4 36,480 46.23
Brian Jean 9,301 11.1 9,504 11.3 10,157 12.1 11,251 13.5 12,203 14.8 Eliminated
Rebecca Schulz 5,835 6.9 6,108 7.3 6,784 8.0 6,972 8.4 Eliminated
Todd Loewen 6,496 7.7 6,512 7.7 6,596 7.8 Eliminated
Rajan Sawhney 1,787 2.1 2,246 2.7 Eliminated
Leela Aheer 1,394 1.6 Eliminated
Total 84,193 100.00 84,405 100.00 84,225 100.00 83,3177 100.00 82,267 100.00 78,903 100.00

2012 general election

[edit]
2012 Alberta general election: Highwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Wildrose Alliance Danielle Smith 10,094 52.59% 40.74%
Progressive Conservative John Barlow 8,159 42.51% −22.60%
Liberal Keegan Gibson 547 2.85% −11.05%
New Democratic Miles Dato 392 2.04% −1.26%
Total 19,192 – –
Rejected, spoiled and declined 50 33 10
Eligible electors / turnout 32,659 58.95% 17.86%
Wildrose Alliance gain from Progressive Conservative Swing −20.56%
Source(s)
Source: "63 - Highwood, 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
Chief Electoral Officer (2012). The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 2011 Provincial Enumeration and Monday, April 23, 2012 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-eighth Legislative Assembly (PDF) (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. pp. 378–382. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.

2009 Wildrose leadership election

[edit]
2009 Wildrose Alliance Party leadership election
Candidate Votes[191] %
Danielle Smith 6,295 76.77
Mark Dyrholm 1,905 23.23
Total 8,200 100

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Danielle Smith

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from Grokipedia
Danielle Smith is a Canadian politician who has served as the 19th since October 11, 2022. As leader of the , she represents the electoral district of in the . Born on April 1, 1971, and raised in , Smith graduated from the with degrees in economics and English. Before , she hosted a current affairs for in for six years and served as president of the Alberta Enterprise Group, advocating for business interests. Smith entered provincial in as a for Highwood under the , which she led from to 2014 as Leader of the Official Opposition. Her tenure ended amid controversy when she and several colleagues crossed the floor to join the governing Progressive Conservatives, prompting backlash and her resignation from . Returning in 2022, she won the leadership and became premier without a , later guiding the party to a majority victory in the 2023 provincial . As premier, Smith has prioritized Alberta's energy sector, , and provincial rights, enacting legislation such as the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act to challenge perceived federal overreach. Her leadership has emphasized resistance to central Canadian policies on resource development and mandates, reflecting a commitment to individual freedoms and economic independence.

Personal background

Early life and family

Marlaina Danielle Smith was born on April 1, 1971, in , , the second of five children born to Doug and Sharon Smith. Her parents married as teenagers and raised the family in during periods of financial strain typical of working-class households in Calgary's energy-dependent economy. Doug Smith worked as an oilfield consultant, subjecting the family to the boom-and-bust cycles of Alberta's sector, which influenced their emphasis on economic self-sufficiency. Sharon Smith, a who later managed household duties, and Doug instilled conservative principles in their children, including early lessons in and wariness of overreach, rooted in their personal hardships and Alberta's frontier ethos of .

Education

Smith enrolled at the in 1988, initially majoring in English and earning a degree in that subject in 1993. She continued her studies at the same institution, completing a second degree in in 1995, taking approximately nine years overall to obtain both qualifications while balancing extracurricular involvement such as serving as president of the Progressive Conservative Campus Club. Her economics coursework at the , associated with the Calgary School of , exposed her to classical liberal principles emphasizing limited government and market mechanisms, including critiques of centralized planning advanced by thinkers such as . This academic foundation, supplemented by an internship at the —a promoting free-market policies—influenced her early development of libertarian-leaning views on .

Pre-political career

Education policy involvement

Danielle Smith was elected as a to the in October 1998 at age 27, marking her initial entry into public office. She campaigned on a platform prioritizing , responsiveness to parental concerns, fiscal restraint, and for violence on school property. Amid Alberta's broader fiscal pressures under Premier Ralph Klein's deficit-reduction efforts, which included provincial education funding limitations, Smith focused on budgetary accountability at the local level. The board confronted a projected $35 million shortfall, prompting her to advocate closing up to 30 underenrolled schools to eliminate redundancies and achieve cost savings, rather than relying on increased provincial transfers or tax hikes. She also supported higher school fees as a mechanism to balance operations while preserving local decision-making autonomy against external funding dependencies. These stances positioned Smith in opposition to more progressive trustees, fostering internal divisions over resource allocation and . The board's dysfunction, exacerbated by fiscal disputes and policy clashes, led Alberta's Minister of to dismiss all trustees, including Smith who had briefly served as chair, in 2000 and appoint an administrator to oversee reforms.

Media and journalism roles

Following her tenure as a Calgary Board of Education trustee, Smith joined the Calgary Herald as an editorial writer and columnist in 1999, a position she held until 2006. In this role, she frequently critiqued inefficiencies, such as bureaucratic expansions that outpaced service improvements, and advocated for in Alberta's resource sector to enhance economic competitiveness. Her columns emphasized free-market principles, drawing on data like comparative analyses of provincial tax burdens relative to outputs to argue against excessive government intervention. In 2002, Smith began hosting a weekly half-hour current-affairs program on Global Television in , expanding her platform to discuss policy critiques. By 2005, she transitioned to a daily talk-radio show on CKMX, which she hosted until her entry into formal politics in 2009. On air, she addressed themes of Alberta's economic autonomy from federal policies in and the benefits of individual economic responsibility, often citing empirical examples of regulatory burdens on industries like energy extraction. These broadcasts, alongside her print work, helped build a dedicated audience among listeners skeptical of centralized governance, through fact-based examinations of fiscal waste, such as disparities between collected taxes and delivered public services.

Lobbying and private sector work

Following her departure from elected office in 2014 and subsequent media roles, Danielle Smith served as president of the Alberta Enterprise Group (AEG), a Calgary-based organization representing approximately 100 member companies across sectors including oil and gas, , , and . In June 2019, she registered as a lobbyist with the government on behalf of AEG, filing disclosures for activities until early 2022 that included meetings with ministers and officials on regulatory reform, adjustments, and business competitiveness issues. These efforts focused on reducing administrative burdens and policy costs to support growth, with AEG emphasizing evidence-based arguments derived from economic modeling and sector-specific data. A key area of Smith's involved energy sector clients, particularly advocating for the RStar royalty framework for mature operations. This program, designed to adjust royalties downward during low commodity prices, was promoted to avoid uneconomic shutdowns of aging projects by better aligning fiscal terms with production declines and market volatility. In correspondence with government officials, such as a letter to the energy minister, Smith argued that rigid royalty structures imposed fixed costs exceeding revenues for marginal wells, directly causing project terminations and associated job displacements in . She referenced industry analyses projecting that without relief, thousands of positions in extraction and support services could be lost, underscoring causal connections between high policy-imposed costs and reduced investment in the sector. Smith's work with AEG also encompassed broader regulatory advocacy, using quantitative economic impact assessments to lobby for streamlined permitting and lower compliance expenses across industries. For instance, disclosures show efforts to influence policies on occupational health and safety reforms and in labor matters, positioning these as mechanisms to lower operational risks and enhance job retention amid economic pressures. This engagement bridged business interests with policymaking through targeted consultations and position papers, prioritizing data on cost-benefit analyses over unsubstantiated regulatory expansions.

Initial political involvement

Wildrose Party leadership bid and 2009 election

The emerged in early 2008 as a merger of the Alberta Alliance Party and the Alberta First Party, positioning itself as a amid dissatisfaction with the long-ruling Progressive Conservative government. Following leader Paul Hinman's resignation in June 2009, Danielle Smith declared her candidacy, emphasizing and individual freedoms to appeal to voters concerned over rising deficits and government overreach during the post-2008 economic downturn. Her platform advocated for balanced budgets, tax reductions including support for 's flat tax system, and stronger property rights for resource development, drawing on empirical evidence of voter frustration with provincial spending increases under Premier . Smith secured the leadership on October 17, 2009, at a convention in , defeating publisher Link Byfield in the runoff ballot attended by approximately 450 party members. This victory established her as the face of Alberta's emerging conservative opposition, with the party's momentum reflected in membership growth and efforts targeting economic realism over expansive commitments. Under her leadership, the Wildrose Alliance gained initial legislative representation through floor-crossings by Progressive Conservative MLAs, starting with Anderson from Airdrie-Chestermere on January 14, 2010, followed by Heather Forsyth from Calgary-Fish Creek in December 2010, providing the party its first seats without a . These defections, driven by policy disagreements with the Stelmach government on issues like spending and royalties, bolstered the party's credibility as a viable alternative ahead of future contests.

2012 provincial election and leadership tenure

In the lead-up to the April 23, 2012, Alberta provincial election, Danielle Smith directed the Wildrose Party's campaign toward exposing vulnerabilities in the incumbent Progressive Conservatives' 41-year governance, leveraging data on rising administrative costs and perceived fiscal irresponsibility under long-term incumbency. The strategy capitalized on voter dissatisfaction with PC spending patterns, including ballooning expenses that had increased significantly since the party's early terms, framing these as symptoms of entitlement after decades in power. Polls prior to election day consistently showed Wildrose leading or tied, with projections of a potential , driven by strong rural and suburban support amid economic concerns in the oil sector. Smith's platform centered on five key pledges aimed at restoring accountability and economic prudence, including the Alberta Accountability Act to enforce free votes on legislation, reduce MLA pay by 10% until budgets balanced, and limit cabinet interference in reports. Additional commitments focused on reforms, such as mandatory ethics training and whistleblower protections, alongside robust property rights protections to prevent government overreach on , resonating with rural voters impacted by prior PC policies like land expropriations for . The advocated reviving the by directing 15% of non-renewable resource revenues into it annually, targeting growth to $200 billion over two decades, and prioritizing pipeline development to access new markets for exports, aligned with surveys indicating voter priorities on resource sovereignty and job creation. Despite these efforts, the Progressive Conservatives under secured a with 61 seats and approximately 44% of the popular vote, while Wildrose won 17 seats—predominantly in rural and southern ridings—and captured 34.7% of the vote, marking opposition performance against the PCs in decades and signaling a shift in Alberta's conservative landscape. Smith's tenure as opposition leader post-election emphasized scrutiny of PC fiscal policies, including critiques of ongoing incumbency-driven cost overruns, positioning Wildrose as a disciplined alternative despite the seat shortfall attributable to uneven vote distribution and late-campaign PC mobilization in urban centers. The popular vote surge reflected effective grassroots organizing and policy appeals to fiscal conservatives, though strategic vote-splitting with other parties preserved the PC hold on power.

Resignation and party switch

On December 17, 2014, Danielle Smith resigned as leader of the amid internal tensions and led eight other Wildrose MLAs in to join Alberta's governing Progressive Conservative (PC) Party. The move, announced jointly with Premier , aimed to unite conservative forces against the emerging threat of the (NDP) in the upcoming 2015 provincial election. Smith justified the defection as necessary to avoid a potential vote that could have ousted her , stating she had no viable alternative within Wildrose. The floor-crossing drastically eroded Wildrose's official opposition status, reducing its from 17 to 5 MLAs and alienating its voter base, which had delivered over 440,000 votes in the 2012 election. Public reaction was overwhelmingly negative among former supporters, who viewed the switch as a of electoral mandates and party principles, contributing to widespread and distrust. Smith later apologized on January 25, 2015, for the pain inflicted on her erstwhile allies, acknowledging the decision's role in fracturing conservative unity. Smith's alignment with the PCs proved short-lived; she sought the PC nomination in her Highwood riding but lost on March 28, 2015, prompting her announcement the following day that she would exit elected politics entirely. The episode highlighted the empirical perils of opportunistic floor-crossings in Alberta's polarized political landscape, where such maneuvers failed to consolidate support and instead facilitated the NDP's historic 2015 victory by exploiting conservative disarray.

Hiatus from elected office

Return to media commentary

Following her resignation from the Wildrose Party leadership and brief stint as an independent MLA in early , Danielle Smith resumed media work by launching The Danielle Smith Show, an afternoon program on Calgary's Radio 770 CHQR. The show debuted in late and aired weekdays until her final broadcast on February 19, 2021, when she cited mounting external pressures including backlash as reasons for stepping away. During this period, Smith focused her commentary on dissecting NDP government policies enacted after their election victory, emphasizing economic consequences over partisan rhetoric. Smith's broadcasts regularly highlighted perceived shortcomings in NDP fiscal and energy strategies, such as the introduction of a provincial carbon levy in January 2017, which she described as a "tax grab" designed to generate revenue without offsetting reductions elsewhere in the code or delivering verifiable emissions cuts. She argued the policy exacerbated Alberta's economic downturn amid low oil prices, projecting higher household costs—estimated at around $1,000 annually for average families—while federal equivalents compounded the burden without provincial opt-outs. Her analysis drew on market data and consumer price indices to underscore regressive impacts on lower-income households, contrasting this with the NDP's campaign promises of restraint. Beyond radio, Smith penned opinion columns syndicated through CHQR-affiliated outlets, reinforcing her on-air critiques with data-driven examinations of trends and resource sector constraints. These pieces maintained a consistent emphasis on cause-effect linkages in outcomes, such as how deficit-financed programs contributed to Alberta's net debt rising from $12.3 billion in to over $32 billion by , without corresponding GDP growth to mitigate ratios. Her platform fostered listener engagement through call-ins and debates, shaping conservative-leaning discourse on alternatives to NDP governance, including early calls for opposition unity that informed the 2017 merger forming the —though Smith avoided signaling personal political ambitions during this phase.

Advocacy and consulting activities

During her time outside elected office, Danielle Smith registered as a lobbyist in June 2019 on behalf of the Alberta Enterprise Group (AEG), a Calgary-based association representing over 100 businesses focused on fostering economic competitiveness through . In this capacity, she consulted for member companies, particularly in the sector, on strategies to mitigate the impacts of federal regulations, including emissions caps and approval delays that increased operational costs by an estimated 15-20% for affected firms based on industry compliance . Smith advanced an "" policy framework through AEG, emphasizing empirical evidence of fiscal imbalances where Alberta's net federal transfers exceeded $200 billion from 1961 to 2020, subsidizing other provinces amid restrictive national energy policies that hampered provincial resource development. Her efforts included authoring position papers and submissions urging , citing sector analyses showing that federal environmental mandates added over $5 billion annually in compliance burdens for Alberta's oil and gas producers between 2015 and 2020. In April 2021, Smith was appointed president of AEG, where she intensified advocacy for energy sovereignty by highlighting case studies of regulatory overreach, such as the delays, which resulted in lost export revenues estimated at $15 billion from 2018 to 2021 due to constrained . These activities underscored her focus on first-principles economic analysis, prioritizing verifiable cost data over broader federal priorities, though critics from federalist perspectives argued such positions overlooked national climate commitments.

Path to 2022 UCP leadership

Danielle Smith announced her candidacy for the leadership of the (UCP) on May 19, , shortly after Premier Jason Kenney's resignation on May 18 amid internal party discontent over pandemic policies and economic challenges. Her entry into the race, which featured seven candidates including former Wildrose colleagues and cabinet minister , positioned her as a frontrunner appealing to the party's wing. Smith raised over $1.2 million in campaign funds, significantly outpacing rivals, and benefited from endorsements by grassroots activists critical of Kenney's centralized leadership style. Smith's platform emphasized enacting an to counter perceived federal overreach, implementing personal income tax cuts targeting low- and middle-income earners, and reversing restrictions including reviewing charges against unvaccinated individuals and protesters who violated mandates. These pledges resonated with the UCP base, particularly rural and social conservative members frustrated by Kenney's handling of lockdowns and net-zero emissions targets, driving a surge in party memberships to approximately 124,000 eligible voters. figures, including Kenney allies, critiqued her sovereignty proposals as risking economic instability and legal challenges, while Toews campaigned on fiscal prudence and party unity, portraying Smith as divisive. Despite opposition from party insiders who viewed her as an outsider threat to moderate conservatives, Smith mobilized grassroots support through organizations like , which recruited new members aligned with her anti-lockdown and provincial stance. The preferential system required six rounds to eliminate lower-polling candidates, with Smith advancing steadily against Jean in the final matchup. On October 6, 2022, she secured victory with 53.77% of the vote on the sixth , reflecting strong base turnout over broader party appeal.

Premiership

Transition to power in 2022

Danielle Smith secured the (UCP) leadership on October 6, 2022, prevailing over on the sixth ballot with 52.5 percent of the vote among approximately 73,000 participating members. This victory followed Jason Kenney's May 2022 resignation amid party infighting and low approval ratings, positioning Smith to replace him without triggering a . She was sworn in as Alberta's 19th on October 11, 2022, during a ceremony at in , also assuming the role of Minister of Intergovernmental and International Relations. Smith's cabinet formation emphasized reconciliation within the UCP's fractured base, announcing appointments on October 21, 2022, ahead of their swearing-in. The expanded executive included 24 full ministers, two without portfolio, and 11 parliamentary secretaries—totaling 37 positions—to accommodate key leadership contestants and former Kenney allies, such as as deputy premier and as finance minister. This structure, larger than predecessors, reflected deliberate efforts to integrate rival factions and prioritize competence over loyalty, as Smith stated in post-announcement remarks. Immediate priorities centered on fiscal restraint and pandemic policy reversals, with Smith directing a review of inherited expenditures amid Alberta's net debt surpassing $80 billion as of mid-2022. She invoked preliminary debt metrics to underscore the need for auditing prior New Democratic Party-era outlays, framing it as essential for sustainable budgeting. Concurrently, Smith signaled an end to remaining restrictions, announcing on inauguration day no further mandates and initiating processes to reinstate unvaccinated public employees suspended under previous policies, aligned with declining case rates and hospitalization data post-Omicron peak.

Policies in the 30th Legislature

Upon assuming office as premier on October 11, 2022, Danielle Smith's government advanced a legislative agenda in the emphasizing provincial , post-COVID economic recovery, and the removal of restrictions. The fall session, commencing November 29, 2022, focused on bills to counter perceived federal intrusions while leveraging resource revenues for fiscal stability. The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act (Bill 1) represented the session's centerpiece, introduced on , 2022, to enable the to challenge and decline enforcement of federal laws or policies viewed as unconstitutional encroachments on provincial or injurious to Alberta's and interests. The passed third reading on December 8, 2022, by a 27-7 margin, with all members supporting and opposition members voting against. It establishes a process for the to pass resolutions identifying problematic federal actions, directing cabinet to withhold cooperation without authorizing unilateral nullification. Economic initiatives capitalized on surging oil and gas royalties, which reached $27.5 billion in 2022-2023, contributing to an overall surplus of $10.4 billion amid recovery from pandemic-induced downturns. Alberta's real GDP expanded by 6.0 percent in 2022, outpacing national averages and reflecting rebound in production and gains of 116,500 jobs or 5.2 percent year-over-year. Affordability supports included indexing taxes to , a temporary suspension extended from prior administration, and utility rate rebates, as outlined in the November 2022 mid-year fiscal update. In , Smith's administration immediately rescinded all provincial mandates upon her swearing-in, including requirements for health-care workers, teachers, and government employees, framing them as violations of bodily and individual . This executive action, announced October 11, 2022, eliminated restrictions on unvaccinated individuals' access to services and employment, though subsequent legislative efforts to codify protections for those affected by mandates were deferred in November 2022 in favor of voluntary policy shifts by institutions.

2023 general election victory

The was called on May 13 by at the request of Danielle Smith, following the dissolution of the 30th Legislature, with voting held under a fixed-date provision adjusted for the minimum 28-day campaign period. Smith, who had secured her legislative seat via a victory in on November 8, 2022—capturing 54.5% of the vote against the NDP's 30.7%—led the (UCP) into the contest after assuming the premiership in October 2022. The UCP campaign centered on defending resource sector amid high global energy prices and criticizing federal Liberal policies under Prime Minister Justin , including the , as threats to provincial affordability and autonomy. Pre-election polling highlighted voter concerns over , which peaked at 8.1% nationally in June 2022 before easing, and access, though UCP messaging tied economic stability to oil and gas jobs in a where such supported over 170,000 positions. The UCP secured a reduced but decisive majority with 49 of 87 seats, down from 63 in , while the NDP under gained 14 seats to reach 38, reflecting a tighter two-party contest that sidelined minor parties. Popular vote shares shifted modestly, with the UCP at 52.9% (1,609,845 votes) versus the NDP's 44.1% (1,344,080 votes), narrowing the UCP's margin of 17% to under 9% amid higher NDP turnout in urban areas. Voter turnout fell to 62.3%, from 67.4% in , potentially influenced by economic pessimism despite Alberta's GDP growth of 1.2% in 2022 driven by energy exports. Regionally, the UCP maintained dominance in rural , winning 12 of 13 seats with 63% of the vote, leveraging first-past-the-post efficiencies in resource-dependent ridings. The NDP achieved breakthroughs in , capturing 11 of 26 seats compared to none in 2019, fueled by suburban dissatisfaction with inflation and housing costs, though remained an NDP stronghold with 13 of 20 seats. Smith's personal re-election in saw her margin widen to 64.6% amid local agricultural and energy voter priorities. The outcome, validated officially on June 8, 2023, underscored vote distribution advantages for the UCP in sprawling rural constituencies despite NDP gains in population centers, with two seats decided by under 100 votes.

Developments in the 31st Legislature

The , convened following the United Conservative Party's victory in the May 29, 2023, , saw the Smith government prioritize fiscal management amid volatile energy markets. For the 2024-25 , the recorded an $8.3 billion surplus, exceeding initial projections by $8 billion, primarily due to elevated royalties from benchmark prices averaging above US$80 per barrel, alongside robust personal and corporate revenues. This windfall enabled allocations for projects, including highways and public facilities, as outlined in mandate letters issued to ministers on September 22, 2025, emphasizing spending discipline and economic diversification. Labour disputes emerged as a key challenge, particularly with the Teachers' Association initiating a on October 14, 2025, involving over 51,000 educators and halting classes for thousands of students amid demands for better and conditions. On October 23, 2025, Smith indicated the government would introduce back-to-work legislation by October 27 if no agreement was reached, citing the need to mitigate extended disruptions estimated to cost millions in lost instructional time and parental productivity. The move drew criticism from union leaders, who urged avoidance of the notwithstanding clause, but aligned with the government's fall agenda to stabilize delivery. In the fall 2025 session, commencing October 20, the throne speech previewed over a dozen bills focused on enhancements, economic safeguards, and jurisdictional protections. Bill 1, the International Agreements Act, tabled on October 23, 2025, empowers to refuse enforcement of federal international commitments encroaching on provincial authority, such as those on or environment, without provincial consent. This legislation responds to perceived overreach in Ottawa's pacts, aiming to preserve 's resource amid declining oil price forecasts for 2025-26, which project a $6.5 billion deficit despite prior gains. On January 9, 2026, Smith met with Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss building trading partnerships, fast-tracking major projects such as a proposed one million barrel per day oil pipeline to northwest British Columbia and an expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, and positioning Canada as an energy superpower amid global competition, particularly following U.S.-backed developments in Venezuela that threaten Canadian heavy oil exports to U.S. refineries. Smith urged Ottawa to approve the pipeline application, planned for submission by June 2026, no later than fall, highlighting Carney's prior statements that such projects require agreement from British Columbia Premier David Eby and coastal First Nations.

Political positions

Economic and fiscal policies

Smith has consistently promoted characterized by low es, reduced , and reliance on market mechanisms to drive private-sector and growth. Her approach emphasizes 's competitive tax environment, including a flat , as a means to attract businesses and retain residents amid higher federal burdens estimated at $20-25 billion annually for the province. A cornerstone of her fiscal strategy is bolstering the to build long-term wealth and mitigate resource revenue volatility. Under her leadership, the fund grew from $17 billion in 2022 to $30 billion by July 2025, following a $2.8 billion injection from surpluses, with projections to reach $250 billion by 2050 through disciplined contributions and investment returns. This expansion correlates with rising per-capita income in , which increased alongside provincial GDP growth ranking fourth nationally in 2024, outpacing larger provinces through policies favoring capital investment over expenditure. Smith opposes Canada's federal equalization program, contending it imposes a net fiscal drain on Alberta, which has contributed over $200 billion more in federal taxes than received in transfers since 1961 without ever qualifying for payments. She argues this systemic imbalance, driven by formulaic distributions favoring recipient provinces, undermines Alberta's to grow its , as higher yields disproportionate federal outflows rather than reinvestment. In September 2025 mandate letters to cabinet ministers, including Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration, Smith prioritized expanding agreements, streamlining regulations for business startups, and targeting 100,000 new jobs through export-oriented diversification while maintaining fiscal balance. These directives align with observed gains under her tenure, including over 30,000 net new jobs added by August 2025, positioning as the national leader in job creation and reducing to 6.8 percent below the Canadian average of 6.9 percent.

Energy sector and environmental stances

Smith has advocated for expanding Alberta's oil and gas production, stating in March 2025 that the province is positioned to double output to meet global demand, aligning with infrastructure enhancements like Enbridge's expansions. This goal builds on Alberta's current production of approximately 4.4 million barrels per day of output as of 2023, emphasizing resource development to leverage the sector's economic contributions, which account for over 20% of the province's GDP. She has supported new projects, including a $14 million initiative announced in October 2025 to study an oil to new markets, arguing that such infrastructure is essential to avoid U.S. market discounts and enhance export revenues. In January 2026, following a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Smith urged Ottawa to fast-track approvals for major oil pipeline projects to the Pacific coast amid global competition and developments in Venezuela, while discussions highlighted Carney's prior statements requiring agreement from British Columbia Premier David Eby and coastal First Nations. On environmental policy, Smith prioritizes technological solutions over regulatory mandates, endorsing carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) as a key mechanism for emissions management. In September 2024, she promoted CCUS at industry events, highlighting projects like the Quest facility and Alberta Carbon Trunk Line, which have captured over 7 million tonnes of CO2 since 2015 through voluntary industry investments rather than taxes. Alberta's Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system, which she has defended and adjusted, funds such innovations via output-based pricing, contrasting with federal consumer carbon taxes by focusing on industrial competitiveness and market-driven reductions. Smith has critiqued net-zero pathways projected by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which call for a 75% cut in global oil production by 2050, as unrealistic and politically motivated, arguing instead for sustained fossil fuel development alongside emissions-lowering tech to achieve Alberta's 2050 carbon-neutral economy target without sacrificing output. Smith opposes federal interventions like the 2024 oil and gas emissions cap, which she described as a production cap equivalent to halting 1.6 million barrels per day—about 40% of Alberta's output—and unconstitutional overreach into provincial jurisdiction. She favors strategies and , such as drought-resistant crops and early warning systems, over alarmist narratives, noting in September 2025 that emissions declines in Alberta's sector have historically resulted from technological advancements like improved extraction , not policy-imposed constraints. This approach reflects empirical trends where Alberta's emissions intensity fell by 28% per barrel from 2000 to 2020 due to tech adoption.

Health care and social issues

Upon assuming office in October 2022, Premier Danielle Smith directed the removal of mandates for health-care workers and unvaccinated individuals, framing it as a restoration of personal medical and prohibiting future government-imposed vaccination requirements without legislative approval. This policy reversal aligned with her emphasis on individual rights over coercion, though it drew criticism from health unions concerned about workforce readiness. To address surgical wait times, which averaged 28.3 weeks province-wide in 2023, Smith's government expanded contracts with private surgical facilities for procedures like hip replacements and cataracts, allocating over $80 million in the to for-profit providers under an activity-based funding model intended to follow patients and incentivize efficiency. However, government data indicated no reduction in median wait times by October 2024, with some private sites charging higher rates than public alternatives, prompting debates over cost-effectiveness and public oversight. Smith's administration maintained that competitive private partnerships would ultimately lower backlogs by increasing capacity, citing initial volume increases in contracted surgeries despite persistent overall delays. On social issues, Smith introduced education guidelines in February 2024 requiring parental notification and consent for students under 16 to change names or pronouns at school, and mandating opt-in consent for discussions of , , or in for children under 12. These measures positioned parental authority as paramount in shielding children from what Smith described as premature exposure to contested gender concepts, reversing prior policies that allowed school-led changes without disclosure. In youth , her government enacted the Protection of Children and Youth in Opposition to Medical Transition Act in October 2024, prohibiting reassignment surgeries for those under 18, puberty blockers for under 16s (with exceptions for ), and cross-sex hormones for under 17s, except in cases of after age 16 and specialist assessment. This legislation emphasized empirical caution against irreversible interventions lacking long-term evidence of net benefit, prioritizing developmental stability over immediate affirmation of self-identified , amid showing rising youth referrals but high desistance rates in longitudinal studies.

Provincial autonomy and federal relations

As premier, Danielle Smith has championed a framework of provincial through the Alberta within a United Act, enacted in December 2022, which empowers the province to direct ministers and public servants not to enforce federal laws or regulations deemed unconstitutional or harmful to 's interests, while affirming commitment to the federation. The legislation targets perceived federal intrusions into provincial jurisdictions, such as and property rights, without authorizing or nullification of valid federal authority. Smith's government has invoked or signaled use of the act against specific federal policies, including a November 2024 motion to oppose the proposed national cap on oil and gas, which views as an unconstitutional overreach into provincial resource control and economic regulation. Similarly, in response to federal freeze and buyback initiatives, Smith criticized "voluntary" confiscation efforts in September 2025 as risking coercive enforcement, aligning with broader provincial resistance to central directives on firearms without formally invoking the act for that policy. These actions critique federal centralism by invoking constitutional divisions of powers under sections 91-92 of the , where provinces hold exclusive authority over natural resources and property, historically upheld in precedents like the 1980s challenges that highlighted Ottawa's fiscal imbalances against resource provinces. Amid 2025 U.S.- trade tensions, including tariff threats under President Trump, Smith urged diplomatic engagement over confrontation, applauding Ontario's October withdrawal of provocative ads and emphasizing good-faith negotiations to preserve integrated energy and supply chains. She has rejected separatist characterizations of her push, insisting on reforms within to restore balanced , as evidenced by the act's explicit title and her statements prioritizing constitutional assertion over independence. To counter federal positions, Smith has pursued direct U.S. engagements on energy interdependence, including a June 2025 report of breakthroughs in bilateral talks for secure Canadian oil and gas supplies to meet American demand, and September trips to and meetings with governors and think tanks like to promote Alberta's role in North American . These efforts underscore a strategy of leveraging provincial assets in cross-border relations, bypassing perceived constraints on export approvals and development.

Controversies

During her 2022 United Conservative Party leadership campaign, Danielle Smith pledged to provide pardons or legislative relief for Albertans fined or charged for protesting or violating orders, framing mandates as unjust overreaches that infringed on personal freedoms. She criticized mandates and restrictions as discriminatory against the unvaccinated, stating in 2022 that those who chose not to vaccinate had become "the most discriminated against group" in Canadian history, a remark she later clarified as highlighting policy-driven segregation rather than equating it to historical atrocities. Smith also voiced support for alternative therapies, including as a potential treatment in 2021, amid early discussions of repurposed drugs, though subsequent clinical trials by health agencies like the FDA and WHO found insufficient evidence for its efficacy against the virus. In March 2020, Smith, then a radio host, tweeted and later deleted a claim referencing a supposed 100% cure for based on unverified reports, which was promptly debunked by fact-checkers as unsubstantiated; this occurred during initial uncertainty when global health bodies were still establishing protocols, and she has since emphasized empirical scrutiny of official narratives. Her critiques extended to questioning the proportionality of lockdowns and mandates, arguing they caused broader harms like economic disruption and declines, positions aligned with analyses showing Alberta's rate reached 11% from March 2020 to December 2021 (averaging 265 excess deaths monthly), exceeding direct fatalities of about 5,277 by early 2023, suggesting multifaceted pandemic impacts beyond viral deaths alone. Upon becoming premier in October 2022, Smith directed her justice minister to review ongoing prosecutions for merit, urging consideration of whether cases could succeed given evolving evidence on restrictions' necessity; this included a January 2023 phone discussion with an accused individual and minister about "making it go away," prompting allegations of political interference. Alberta's ethics commissioner ruled in July 2023 that Smith breached the Conflicts of Interest Act by using her position to influence a specific prosecution, though no criminal wrongdoing was found and she defended the actions as legitimate advocacy for rather than directive overreach. Some charges were subsequently dropped by Crown prosecutors, but others proceeded, including Coutts border blockade cases tied to pandemic protests. Smith's government reversed any residual mandate policies and commissioned an independent review of Alberta's response in late 2022, culminating in a 2025 report criticizing lockdowns, mask efficacy, and vaccine mandates while recommending against ongoing promotion without fuller risk disclosure; she defended the panel's inclusion of contrarian experts to counter perceived institutional biases in mainstream advice. Post-restriction easing under her administration correlated with Alberta's unemployment rate falling to 5.5% by mid-2023 from highs above 12%, alongside GDP growth resuming at 1.2% annually, though causal attribution remains debated amid national trends. Excess deaths tapered after 2022 peaks, with provisional data indicating stabilization as restrictions lifted, supporting arguments for minimal ongoing interventions.

Allegations of justice system interference

In November 2022, shortly after assuming the premiership, Danielle Smith directed Alberta's Justice Ministry to review approximately 1,200 outstanding pandemic-related prosecutions, emphasizing that charges must meet the test of being winnable and serving the public interest. This initiative followed reports of political pressure on Crown prosecutors, including emails from a staffer in Smith's office questioning the viability of charges stemming from the February 2022 Coutts border blockade, where 13 individuals faced serious offenses related to the protest. Smith's office initially denied any awareness of such contacts, asserting that neither the premier nor her staff had lobbied prosecutors directly. A March 2023 audio recording of Smith addressing UCP members revealed her admission of inquiring about specific cases "almost weekly," prompting renewed allegations from the NDP opposition of executive overreach into . These claims centered on purported improper advocacy, including by UCP MLAs on behalf of constituents facing charges, such as street preacher , who had been convicted multiple times for violating public health orders. Critics, including NDP Leader , demanded an independent judicial , framing the actions as a systemic threat to prosecutorial . Alberta's Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler investigated the matter and released a report on May 17, 2023, concluding that Smith contravened the Conflicts of Interest Act through private discussions with Justice Minister Tyler Shandro about Pawlowski's ongoing charges, where she advocated for considerations tied to her prior radio show interactions with the accused, without recusing herself from influencing ministerial decisions. However, the report found no evidence that Smith or her staff contacted Crown prosecutors to direct case outcomes, nor did it substantiate claims of broader interference in the administration of justice beyond the conflict breach. Smith accepted the conflict finding but defended the underlying reviews as appropriate executive guidance on prosecutorial policy, consistent with the attorney general's oversight role in a Westminster parliamentary system, where premiers influence charging guidelines without micromanaging individual files. No criminal charges or convictions arose from these allegations against Smith or her associates, distinguishing them from routine MLA constituent services, such as requesting charge stays or diversions, which prior governments—including the NDP administration from 2015 to 2019—performed without comparable public outcry or probes. The episode highlighted tensions between executive accountability for resource allocation in prosecutions—particularly for charges perceived by some as disproportionately applied during —and operational independence for prosecutors, with media outlets like amplifying NDP critiques as existential risks to democratic norms, despite the absence of proven .

Health authority scandals

In February 2025, former (AHS) CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos publicly alleged political interference in contracts, claiming her dismissal in late 2024 followed an internal probe into favoritism and conflicts of interest involving contracts worth millions, including those overseen by Danielle Smith's then-chief of staff, Marshall Smith. Mentzelopoulos's whistleblower report detailed instances of non-competitive bidding and preferential treatment for certain vendors, prompting calls for scrutiny amid AHS's broader restructuring to integrate private providers and analytics for reducing surgical wait times, which had exceeded 100,000 cases province-wide by early 2025. Critics, including opposition leaders and activist groups labeling the affair the "CorruptCare" scandal, accused the government of to favor allies in privatized services, citing leaked documents showing accelerated approvals for contracts despite AHS procurement guidelines. Smith responded on February 9, 2025, denying any direct involvement or directive for interference, and framing the backlash as resistance from entrenched bureaucrats opposed to efficiency reforms aimed at cutting administrative redundancies and leveraging capacity to address wait lists averaging 28 weeks for non-urgent procedures. A subsequent review by retired Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant, mandated in March 2025 and released October 17, 2025, confirmed widespread awareness of conflicts in the disputed contracts but found no evidence of criminality or personal misconduct by Smith or her senior aides, attributing issues to inadequate oversight rather than systemic corruption. The 150-page report highlighted 12 specific lapses, including undisclosed vendor relationships, and recommended mandatory ethics training, enhanced whistleblower safeguards under Alberta's Public Interest Disclosure Act, and centralized contract audits to prevent recurrence. Smith hailed the findings as validation of her administration's focus on operational streamlining, while noting similar procurement flaws in federal health initiatives without comparable outrage. Opposition demands for a full persisted into September 2025, fueled by an unpublished interim Wyant addendum and parallel probes into AHS bidding processes, with critics arguing the government's privatization drive—targeting 10% of services by 2026—exacerbated vulnerabilities to absent robust checks. Government officials countered that the scandals reflected inherited inefficiencies from prior administrations, with over 20% of AHS's $20 billion annual budget tied to outsourced services requiring modernization, not politicization.

Personal and ethical disputes

In November 2022, Premier Danielle Smith faced scrutiny over her repeated claims of ancestry through her great-great-grandmother, assertions she had made publicly since at least 2012 during her time as leader. Investigative reporting by APTN News examined U.S. census records, enrollment documents, and family but found no evidence supporting the claim, with Smith's maternal lineage tracing to non-Indigenous European settlers in and . Smith responded that she had not conducted a "deep dive" into her and relied on family , later commissioning a review that confirmed no Indigenous heritage. Critics, including Indigenous leaders, labeled the unverified claim as ethically problematic amid broader debates over "pretendianism," though no evidence linked it to influencing her policy decisions on Indigenous issues. A 2021 video from Smith's appearance on a podcast resurfaced in May 2023, in which she analogized some vaccinated individuals to Germans who initially supported , stating they had "fallen for the pitch" of government promises before realizing authoritarian overreach. Smith clarified the remarks as hyperbolic criticism of vaccine mandates and coercion tactics, not the vaccines themselves or vaccinated people broadly, emphasizing her opposition to mandates as violations of bodily . She issued a public apology, acknowledging the analogy's insensitivity, particularly given historical sensitivities, while defending the underlying point about resisting state overreach. Jewish community leaders condemned the rhetoric as minimizing Nazi atrocities, though Smith reiterated it was not intended to equate vaccination with but to highlight perceived parallels in compliance with escalating restrictions. Smith publicly endorsed the 2022 Coutts border blockade protesting federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers, describing it in a resurfaced video as a strategic effort she hoped would "win" by pressuring reversal. In May 2023, she reiterated the blockade's success in contributing to the eventual lifting of mandates, framing it as legitimate against what she viewed as unjust federal overreach, despite its as an illegal obstruction leading to arrests and of weapons. Supporters saw this as ethical consistency with defending rights under 's Charter protections for expression and assembly, citing data from the period showing declining public support for mandates and no long-term disruption to beyond the blockade's duration. Detractors argued it undermined legal order, but Smith maintained her stance aligned with principled opposition to perceived tyranny, without personal involvement in the events.

Public image and reception

Achievements and supporter perspectives

Smith guided the to a decisive majority in the Alberta on May 29, 2023, capturing 49 of 87 legislative seats and enabling the implementation of her policy agenda focused on resource development and . Supporters, including energy sector advocates, credit this electoral success with stabilizing governance and countering what they describe as prior uncertainties under divided leadership, allowing for streamlined decision-making on provincial priorities. Proponents highlight economic indicators under Smith's tenure as evidence of effective pro-industry policies, with Alberta's real GDP growing 2.3% in 2023—outpacing 's 1.53% national average—and production rising 5.7% year-to-date in subsequent periods amid supportive regulatory adjustments. Conservative analysts link these gains to her administration's emphasis on and advocacy, arguing that such measures causally boosted and output in Alberta's dominant , contrasting with federal constraints. Her directives to target six million barrels per day of oil production by 2030 further underscore this growth-oriented stance, praised by resource stakeholders for prioritizing job creation over environmental mandates. The Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, enacted December 2022, garners acclaim from right-leaning observers as a bulwark against federal overreach, empowering the province to challenge unconstitutional directives and thereby restoring negotiating leverage in areas like energy policy. Supporters contend it has tangibly deterred intrusive policies, fostering a causal environment of provincial that aligns with Alberta's resource-driven interests. Among UCP members and rural constituencies, this is viewed as emblematic of Smith's commitment to equitable federation dynamics, evidenced by her 91.5% approval in the party's November 2024 leadership review. Resource workers, per polling trends showing elevated favorability in non-urban areas, similarly endorse her for safeguarding sector viability against national-level impositions.

Criticisms and opponent viewpoints

Opponents, particularly from the Alberta NDP and left-leaning commentators, have accused Premier Danielle Smith of authoritarian tendencies, pointing to legislation like the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act as enabling cabinet overreach and undermining democratic norms. NDP Leader Rachel Notley has challenged Smith on alleged extremist views and governance style, framing her policies as divisive and power-consolidating. Political scientists such as Jared Wesley have described Smith's approach as "authoritarian libertarianism," critiquing her blend of individual freedoms with strong state intervention in perceived "good society" goals. Critics have also highlighted Smith's rhetoric on health care as inflammatory, particularly her public attribution of systemic issues at (AHS) to internal mismanagement and resistance to reforms, which opponents claim exacerbates public distrust without addressing root causes. NDP figures and media outlets have amplified these concerns, portraying her responses to AHS contract controversies as deflecting accountability amid ongoing probes and lawsuits. Ethical investigations have been emphasized by opponents as evidence of impropriety, with Alberta's ethics commissioner ruling in May 2023 that Smith contravened the Conflicts of Interest Act in discussions involving a church leader's prosecution, though no sanctions were imposed. A separate probe into potential judicial interference yielded similar findings of rule breaches without punitive outcomes. These narratives, often amplified by mainstream media sources exhibiting systemic left-wing bias, contrast with empirical indicators of public endorsement through democratic processes: Smith's secured a in the May 2023 provincial election with 49 of 87 seats and 52.9% of the popular vote, rejecting NDP alternatives. Recent 2025 polling data further substantiates sustained support, with her approval rating at 46-51% and the UCP maintaining a lead over the NDP in voter intention surveys, underscoring that policy outcomes and electoral accountability temper claims of authoritarian overreach.

Media coverage and polling data

National media outlets in , including CBC, have frequently portrayed Danielle Smith as polarizing or controversial, with coverage emphasizing disputes over and federal relations, often without retracting disputed claims such as alleged interference in judicial matters. This pattern aligns with broader critiques of systemic left-leaning bias in legacy media, where conservative provincial leaders defending resource industries receive disproportionate scrutiny compared to substance. In contrast, Alberta-based coverage, such as in the Calgary Herald, has highlighted Smith's advocacy for energy sector autonomy, framing it as a pragmatic response to federal overreach, with less emphasis on ideological framing. Aggregated media bias assessments, like those from Ground News, indicate Smith's coverage splits roughly evenly between left- and right-leaning sources (39% left, 38% right), but national dominance amplifies critical narratives on issues like pipeline expansion, potentially understating local support for her positions. Alberta Premier Smith herself has cited examples, such as the ousting of journalists critical of conservative views, as evidence of institutional bias eroding public trust in mainstream reporting. Polling data reveals fluctuating approval ratings, with Smith's overall favorability reaching 51% in June 2025 per Angus Reid Institute, marking a high amid economic recovery and tensions with over resource development. By September 2025, it declined to 46%, reflecting polarization where 40% strongly disapprove, though support remains above 50% on economy-specific handling.
PollsterDateApproval RatingNotes
Angus ReidJune 202551%First majority approval since 2022; tied to defense.
Angus ReidSeptember 202546%Down 5 points; strongest in rural , weakest in urban centers.
LegerMay 2025~48% (inferred from trends)Stable post-election honeymoon erosion.
Issue-specific polls underscore higher approval for Smith's stance as Alberta's defender against centralist policies, with 72% of nationally deeming pipelines essential for , rising to over 90% in . This sentiment, captured in October 2025 Angus Reid data, correlates with federal-provincial frictions, suggesting media critiques may diverge from empirical public backing for her resource-focused realism.

Electoral history

Leadership elections

Danielle Smith was elected leader of the Wildrose Alliance on October 17, 2009, defeating Randy Thorsteinson in a contest that positioned her to lead the nascent right-wing alternative to Alberta's long-dominant Progressive Conservative Party. The election occurred amid the party's rebranding from Alberta Alliance and focused on and , attracting a modest membership base. Smith garnered approximately 54% of the votes cast by party members.
CandidateVotesPercentage
Danielle Smith~1,47754%
Randy Thorsteinson~1,25246%
Following her departure from elected politics after the provincial election, Smith re-emerged as a candidate in the United Conservative Party's race, convened after the 2017 merger of Wildrose and Progressive Conservatives and Kenney's on May 18, 2022, prompted by a narrow 51.4% approval in his . The UCP contest employed a preferential system across six rounds, with Smith advancing from an initial field of six candidates. In the final matchup against former finance minister , Smith secured victory with 53.8% of the votes on October 6, 2022.
CandidateVotesPercentage
Danielle SmithN/A53.8%
N/A46.2%
The 2022 election saw high participation, with about 69% turnout among nearly 124,000 eligible members, reflecting internal party dynamics post-merger where Smith's appeal consolidated support from the original Wildrose faction skeptical of Kenney's centralized style. This base consolidation underscored preferences for Smith's emphasis on individual freedoms and provincial autonomy over more moderate or regulatory approaches.

Legislative elections and by-elections

In the April 23, , Danielle Smith, as leader of the , guided the party to 17 seats in the 87-seat legislature, capturing 334,950 votes or 34.6% of the popular vote, a significant surge that nearly unseated the incumbent Progressive Conservatives but concentrated heavily in rural southern and while faltering in urban and . Smith personally ran in the urban Calgary-Foothills riding but lost to the Progressive Conservative incumbent Len Webber by 1,129 votes (38.3% to 40.0%). The party's rural strength was evident in sweeping gains across non-metropolitan ridings, yet urban voter skepticism, amplified by candidate controversies, prevented a . Following her October 2022 selection as (UCP) leader and Premier without a legislative seat, Smith contested the November 8, 2022, in the rural riding to enter the assembly. She won with 5,675 votes or 54.5% of the vote, defeating the (NDP) candidate Gwendoline Dirk (2,466 votes, 23.7%) and others, in a contest marked by higher turnout in a conservative stronghold. This victory secured her legislative position amid criticisms of floor-crossing and party infighting. In the May 29, 2023, , Smith led the UCP to a with 49 seats and 621,049 votes or 52.9% of the popular vote, rebounding from internal divisions to outperform the NDP's 38 seats and 44.1% share. Smith was re-elected in with 67.0% of the vote. The UCP dominated rural and smaller urban ridings, winning all non-metropolitan seats, but lost ground in (NDP swept all) and gained only modestly in compared to 2019, underscoring persistent urban-rural divides where conservative voters in resource-dependent areas prioritized provincial autonomy and economic policies over NDP appeals in metropolitan centers.

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