EDMONTON -- Alberta's governing United Conservatives have booted a rural backbencher from caucus following his public opposition to the government's proposed budget.
Chief government whip Shane Getson says UCP members of the legislature voted to remove Lesser Slave Lake MLA Scott Sinclair because he intends to vote against the spending document.
Under parliamentary convention, the budget vote is a confidence vote, meaning that if it fails in the legislature, it's expected the government will trigger an election.
Sinclair has criticized the budget's projected multibillion-dollar deficits and its allocation of money for big cities while rural constituencies like his need roads fixed and better health care.
Sinclair was the second UCP MLA to push back against Premier Danielle Smith in the span of a week.
Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie quit cabinet over his concerns with government-wide contracting processes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.