In a speech, Danielle Smith criticized the appointments for ignoring two women that Albertans had chosen in a 2021 vote as Senate candidates
Alberta’s premier criticized a newly appointed Alberta senator at a speech on Saturday, calling Kristopher Wells a “radical, extreme LGBT activist.”
“Both of them should be sitting representing us in Ottawa, as opposed to a radical, extreme LGBT activist as well as a radical, extreme fundraiser for the Liberals.” In the second instance, Smith was presumably referring to Trudeau’s appointment of longtime Calgary Liberal Daryl Fridhandler.
Wells, who is gay, has spearheaded numerous pro-LGBT initiatives in his lengthy career as an educator and community activist and has advocated for transgender policy for adults and children.
“There’s nothing radical about following the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms,” he added.
Smith said later in the speech that Alberta would soon introduce measures to bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s divisions, restrict gender-affirming medical interventions for minors and require that parents be notified when students change their pronouns at school.
Smith’s criticism of Wells as radical and extreme continues a pattern of conflicting messaging on LGBT issues from the premier.
Duane Bratt, a professor of political science at Calgary’s Mount Royal University, said that Smith’s targeting of Wells over his LGBT advocacy may have been related to a high-stakes leadership review on the horizon for Smith.
“(Smith is) very aware that conservative leaders in Alberta get taken down by their own party,” Bratt said.
“There’s a core group within the UCP that’s now fixated on trans issues,” he said, adding that Smith will need to hold that contingent’s support if she wishes to register a large showing of support in the review.
Smith’s leadership review will be held on November 2 at the party’s convention in Red Deer.
National Post
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