Former infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie and legislature member Scott Sinclair, who were both removed from caucus earlier in the year, are attempting to bring back the once-dominant Progressive Conservative Party (PCP).
Guthrie made the announcement on the Ryan Jespersen podcast, "Real Talk" on July 2.
“I think the cat is out of the bag on that,” he told Jespersen when asked if he planned to renew the old party. “I just happened to show up on Canada Day with a ‘PC Alberta’ shirt on. That sort of helped get that rumour going. So, yes indeed it’s true.”
Guthrie told Jespersen that his concerns with Premier Danielle Smith's government are "all-encompassing." He felt they were failing Albertans fiscally, and also in terms of defending Canada.
“The United Conservative Party has gone way off base," Guthrie stated. "Fiscally, we are looking at a 23 per cent increase in expenses over the last three years since Danielle Smith got in …. We are looking at a massive bloat in the size of government. And as far as the positions, of being disruptive– this separatism one … She (Smith) denies being a separatist, and I would say you need to look at the individual’s actions to determine who they are."
Guthrie listed a litany of actions he said suggest Smith is more strongly separatist than she has been letting on publicly.
"She ran on the Free Alberta strategy," Guthrie explained. "She introduced the sovereignty act. During the federal election, she inserted herself into that election, and tried to put herself in the media virtually every week sort of one-upping Pierre Poilievre and the CPC, when during those times you are supposed to be pulling away. One day after the election she changes the separation rules to make it easier to hold a referendum. That same day those separatists introduced a petition to separate– that doesn’t seem like a coincidence to me."
Both Guthrie and Sinclair were removed from caucus after pushing against UCP Premier Danielle Smith’s government. Now, both politicians sit as Independents.
The PC’s previously had a 44-year run governing Alberta. That came to an end following the win of former NDP premier Rachel Notley in 2015. Following that election, the Wildrose party and PC’s formed the now United Conservative Party.
The two are aiming to gather the 8,900 signatures needed to register as a political party with Elections Alberta.
“Going forward, we are going to be going out there to get a petition signed (to make it official)," Guthrie told Jespersen. "We need 8,900 signatures. We’ll probably aim for about 30 per cent more than that, and away we go.”
Sinclair, the first of the pair to be ousted from caucus was removed in March of this year for threatening to vote against the government's budget. His primary concern was how the budget would support rural communities.
One month later, Guthrie would also be removed.
In Guthrie's initial letter of resignation, he cited that he felt a lack of confidence in the government's procurement practices.
"In recent months, I have voiced concerns regarding the Government of Alberta's procurement practices across all departments," he wrote. "For this reason, I have decided to step down and return to caucus as a private member, where I can continue to voice my concerns and hold Cabinet accountable with honesty and integrity."
Guthrie had represented Airdrie-Cochrane since 2019. He was appointed as infrastructure minister in 2023 by Premier Danielle Smith. He also served as Energy Minister in the Kenney government.
Guthrie had continually maintained his criticism of the Smith government as well as the premier herself. In his first statement since being removed from caucus, Guthrie said that under Smith the UCP had "morphed" into a party he could "no longer, in good conscience, support."
"Competent, honest governance has taken a backseat to political manoeuvrings that jeopardize the best interest of Albertans" he stated.
