15 United Conservative constituency presidents won't sign agreement to publicly back Alberta referendum result

Résumé détaillé

Presidents of 15 United Conservative Party constituency associations say they won’t sign a revised code of conduct requiring them to publicly respect and abide by the result of a…

Presidents of 15 United Conservative Party constituency associations say they won’t sign a revised code of conduct requiring them to publicly respect and abide by the result of a provincial referendum on national unity.

In a letter obtained by CBC News, the locally elected constituency board presidents say they disagree the party has the authority to change the code of conduct without members voting on the change. Four of the people listed on the letter told CBC News the letter was authentic.

The presidents, who are from constituencies in Edmonton, Calgary and beyond, also say such a demand doesn’t belong in a code of conduct, and contradicts an existing code provision that protects their freedom of expression.

“I believe they've overstepped their boundaries, and really I wanted it just to go away,” said Robert Such, president of the UCP constituency association in Calgary-Klein, whose name is on the letter.

In an interview on Thursday, Such said he has a strong sense of western alienation and is glad Alberta held an October referendum on whether to hold a second, binding referendum on the province pursuing independence from Canada.

“I'm happy it's done,” he said. “Let's move on to bigger things. Some people just can't stop litigating this.”

Days after three-quarters of voters who cast ballots in the Oct. 19 referendum indicated they wanted Alberta to remain in Canada, Premier Danielle Smith said in a video message to fellow UCP members that anyone who publicly represents the party must abide by Alberta voters’ federalist wishes.

Smith said that would include any candidates running for the party, UCP board members and the presidents of constituency associations in the province’s 87 ridings.

Earlier this week, the party’s executive director sent all constituency association presidents a new non-disclosure agreement and code of conduct document to sign by Friday.

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