A high-profile separatist leader has been kicked out of the United Conservative Party.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told reporters in Calgary on Friday that the party’s executive director made the decision to revoke Jeffrey Rath’s membership over code of conduct issues.
It’s a decision she supports, Smith said, calling Rath “somebody whose objective and mission is to turn us into something we are not.”
Smith says her United Conservatives must support the party’s decision, adding anyone in party ranks who still wants to stump for separation needs to find a new political home.
“He has said publicly things like he wants to come to the (annual general meeting) to turn the UCP into an independence party — and we are not an independence party,” Smith said.
“The objective of the party is to get re-elected.”
Rath, a vocal critic of Smith and the UCP, said Friday the decision made him laugh and proves points he’s been making for some time now.
“It’s probably the worst thing that they could do,” Rath told Global News.
“I mean you know, we’ve been criticizing Danielle Smith for behaving like a Stalinist dictator and her response is to behave like a Stalinist dictator and throw me out of the party. So it’s pretty funny to be honest, right?”
Rath said it was another “questionable political choice” by the premier.
Rath has been a key figure in the province’s independence movement and a harsh critic of the premier.
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He has been calling for Smith’s resignation over her support of Alberta staying in Canada and has been working to try to force a vote on her leadership at the party’s AGM at the end of November in Calgary.
“I’m basically, as far as I’m concerned, being thrown out of the party because they don’t want me coming to the UCP AGM in Calgary this year, which is my hometown, and embarrassing Danielle,” he said.
Rath said his ejection doesn’t change things.
“If they think that it’s gonna stop people within the party from campaigning for a leadership review and removing her as leader, they just probably poured a whole bunch of gasoline on the fire,” he said.
On Friday afternoon, Rath posted to his social media screenshots of what appeared to be an email from the party’s executive director informing him of the decision.
The issue surrounds the decision by three-quarters of Alberta voters in last week’s referendum to stay in Canada rather than hold a second referendum on leaving Confederation.
Smith called the referendum. She said it was necessary to quell a growing debate in Alberta over its role in Confederation. Critics said there was never such a groundswell of separatist sentiment and that Smith called the vote to appease UCP separatists and keep her job.
Smith said she voted to stay in Canada.
After the referendum, she promised there wouldn’t be another separation vote while she’s premier. She said the referendum had settled the debate.
She also urged in-house separatists to find a new home.
The United Conservative Party, in confirming the news, told Global News while it doesn’t normally speak to internal membership matters, the facts of Rath’s ejection were already made public.
“Jeff Rath’s membership in the United Conservative Party was revoked for cause on October 29, effective immediately,” said a statement Friday from UCP director of communications Dave Prisco.
“His actions and words made clear that he did not support the UCP or its objectives. The decision was made under Article 7 of the party’s Membership Rules and Procedures because of his public conduct toward the party and its leader.”
Rath said he has sent a letter telling the party he intends to appeal the decision, although he suspects it is unlikely to succeed.
“They say I’m being removed from membership for cause. So, I’ve ask them to particularize the cause and then we’ll take it forward from there,” Rath said.
With files from Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
— More to come…
Jeffery, I wouldn’t even care if the door hit you on the way out. Just get out.
You keep shooting yourself in the foot never mind anyone else in the west. Dont trip over yourself pal.
To show any integrity towards the majority she should have been taking these actions well over a year ago but to do this now is just drama.
Wait to see what she says when the tylenol scandal facts start streaming across our screens.
A fox in a henhouse she is.
You can tell who the NDP communist f *ucks are commenting here. They can’t stand the fact Smith let’s her province decide their own fate. Have you NDP f *ucks packed your bags yet for China or Russia?? You’re done in Western Canada. You should all be shot dead.
She lead these guys on all along and now she is screaming r@pe?
Seen many of this type before. She also needs to be thrown out of the party.
Spot on Hagar!!
What a ridiculous show she is putting on now! Does she really think we will already forget that she made this ridiculous referendum happen in the first place? She could have stopped it a thousand times before this. She really doesn’t think much of Albertans’ intelligence! She needs to just go away now.
Then again, what the f *uck do I know about politics? I suppose the guy shouldn’t belong to any party.
This is the same guy that admitted misconduct to the law society and ordered to pay 10,000 in costs, has ongoing lawsuits against him and his assets frozen. Hmm, I don’t think he’s much of a loss to the UCP.
They waited until after the vite
All of these people should move to the US, or better yet Russia
Losers lose, like Jeff Rath. He is a has been. Washed up. A joke actually. Get lost.
Good decision. We don’t need people like him involved in Alberta’s politics.
Too funny. DS is doing everything she can to try and keep her job. Not likely.