I just want to add that Elections Alberta, the office responsible for administering the UCP organized "referendum" of 2026, also happens to be underfunded and visibly disarmed. Whether the office functions to expectation or not, I would suggest that this visible erosion of an office responsible for safeguarding Alberta democracy leaves Elections Alberta vulnerable to becoming a patsy. Separatists, including Mitch Sylvestre, already have suggested that they have no confidence in Elections Alberta despite Separatist efforts to steal electoral data for Information Operations.
I've already asked to myself at what point should Mr McClure consider resignation? Since May 2025, Justice Minister Mickey Amery already rigged the rules to defang Elections Alberta. From the Globe's Tom Cardoso and Carrie Tait, in "A watchdog curtailed":
In May, 2025, Mr. Amery pushed through a series of amendments he said would “strengthen public trust” in the integrity of the province’s elections. Among the changes, Elections Alberta now has a one-year deadline to pursue sanctions arising from political finance complaints, instead of three.
At the time, Elections Alberta was investigating Mr. Mraiche after receiving a complaint the Edmonton businessman had allegedly made illegal donations to the province’s United Conservative Party and New Democratic Party. Mr. Mraiche denies the allegations.
When the bill became law, it had been more than a year since Elections Alberta had launched its investigation into Mr. Mraiche – raising questions about whether the authority’s window to sanction him had closed. In response to questions from The Globe about the status of the probe, Elections Alberta said it was prohibited by law from commenting on its investigations.
The legislative change raises further questions about Mr. Amery’s potential conflicts of interest given his relationship with Mr. Mraiche, who is at the centre of a health procurement controversy in the province. The government’s dealings with Mr. Mraiche and his company, MHCare Medical Corp., have prompted investigations, including by the RCMP.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-alberta-justice-minister-sam-mraiche-investigation/
Now in October 2026, on the run up to the UCP and Danielle Smith's Referendum, Canadians are reminded that Elections Alberta still cannot pursue penalties realistically within the time limits set by a Justice Minister who has Ethical complications of his own.
Some observers have pointed to repeated warnings from Elections Alberta – an arm’s-length government agency – that it is underfunded and understaffed.
In its annual report, published in November, 2025, chief electoral officer Gordon McClure referenced “systemic deficiencies” at the agency, including high staff turnover, insufficient resources and a “lack of backup in critical positions and areas.”
That report was published roughly three months before Ms. Smith unveiled her plans for the October referendum. In May, Mr. McClure told a legislative committee that he’s “drinking from a firehose.”
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The errors add to a list of problems that have plagued the mail-in voting process, just one component of a referendum that Elections Alberta says is one of the biggest electoral events in Canadian history.
The referendum centres around 10 questions – all designed by Premier Danielle Smith’s government – asking voters to weigh in on provincial separation, immigration and constitutional issues.
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The agency has been proactively responding on social media to voters who were notified that they need to send in more documentation.
Elections Alberta has been forced to address a crop of issues in the lead up to the referendum. Some of the first declaration forms sent to electors, for example, incorrectly included a section asking voters to testify that they’re unable to vote in person. Alberta voters were previously prohibited from voting by mail unless they could prove they were unable to.
Elections Alberta also found 313 mail-in packages sent to electors that were missing ballots.