2 weeks Ago By Ari Yanover
Independent MLA Jennifer Johnson appears poised to join the ranks of United Conservative MLAs, who will consider admitting her to government caucus at an upcoming meeting, Premier Danielle Smith said Wednesday. Johnson successfully ran as a UCP candidate for Lacombe-Ponoka in the May 2023 election. She was barred by Smith from joining the government caucus after a recording was published of comments she had made eight months earlier equating the presence of transgender students in Alberta schools with adding feces to a batch of cookies.
“Her constituents believe that she’s doing a good job as a local representative,” Smith said during a livestreamed interview with on social media Wednesday evening, later describing Johnson’s prior comments as “an unfortunate analogy.” “I think she’s done everything I asked her to do.” The premier did not specify the timing of the caucus meeting but said Lacombe-Ponoka constituency association requested her reinstatement be considered.
Smith initially said her decision to keep Johnson out of caucus was final, but has gradually softened that stance, citing a belief in redemption and second chances. She told a gathering of UCP members in August that Johnson could be readmitted to caucus after her government passes its planned legislation on transgender policies it . “Let’s get through the fall and ask me again when I come back here,” she told the crowd.
Smith has said she plans to introduce three pieces of legislation that will impose age restrictions on gender reassignment surgery, require teachers to notify parents should a student change their name or pronouns at school, and implement restrictions on trans individuals participating in sports. The new sitting of the legislature begins on Oct. 28, though the timing of when those pieces of legislation, as well as corresponding regulations, will be introduced remains unclear.
A of a recent meeting between Johnson and representatives from the LGBTQ+ community was posted online. In it, university instructor and transgender rights activist Victoria Bucholtz challenged Johnson by asking her if trans women are women. “I’ve never been asked that before,” Johnson replied.
“I want to have some time to think on that.” Bucholtz said that the answer showed Johnson’s views had not changed since her initial remark. “I’m not going to be your pinkwashing unless you can tell me right now that you believe that I, as a trans woman .
.. am a woman, then we don’t have a lot to work on here,” she said.
“If you can’t start with that basic foundational principle that we are who we say we are in our bones, then I don’t think we’re on the same page.” Johnson began to reply, saying they could disagree on things before Bucholtz cut her off. “Not on that.
” The other parts of the meeting were not posted online. In a subsequent social media statement, Johnson said she met with members of the Lacombe Pride Society, Ponoka Pride Society, Central Alberta Pride Society at their request. “I was happy to meet with them and hear their concerns as my constituents,” she stated, adding neither Smith nor the UCP caucus were involved in the meeting.
“Contrary to speculation, this meeting has nothing to do with my future as an independent member of the legislature.” Postmedia sought an interview with Johnson on Thursday. Her constituency office said she was unavailable due to being out of the country for two weeks on a pre-planned trip.
Smith told Bexte she thought Johnson came across in the meeting as “very kind and understanding and was trying to find a way of pursuing some common ground.” “It shows me that Jennifer is doing the work of trying to reach out and understand her constituents. That’s what I asked her to do.
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