Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services for Alberta, makes a health care announcement in Calgary on Dec. 21, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Todd Korol)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

first ndp mla now under recall

Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange now facing recall petition

Dec 5, 2025 | 11:09 AM

A recall petition has been approved against Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange.

LaGrange also currently serves as the minister of primary and preventative health services, and was formerly the minister of health in this term, and minister of education from 2019-2023.

Elections Alberta posted the recall petition against her on Nov. 27, and the petition was officially issued Dec. 5.

According to Elections Alberta, the applicant’s name is Danny Carlisle, who writes in his application that he’s requesting the recall of LaGrange primarily for her role in the ‘CorruptCare scandal.’

“In 2020, she was responsible for the largest single layoff in Canadian history. After promising to maintain funding for education during COVID,” Carlisle writes.

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Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange now facing recall petition

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“She implemented large budget cuts to schools across Alberta and directed the layoffs of 20,000 to 25,000 employees, most of whom were education assistants.

“Adriana LaGrange must be held accountable for her actions. She has proven herself to be unresponsive to the concerns of her constituents and unfit to serve Albertans.”

LaGrange had the opportunity to respond to Carlisle’s comments prior to the petition being issued.

In a letter, LaGrange defends the temporary layoffs.

“During COVID-19, temporary layoffs for education support staff ensured they could access CERB and EI while preserving their continuing contracts. This protected workers from permanent job loss and redirected critical funds to front health care,” says LaGrange.

“I was not the Minister of Health when matters now before the courts were negotiated. For six years I have delivered strong results for Red Deer: the $1.8-billion hospital expansion with cardiac services, new schools and policing supports, major investments at Red Deer Polytechnic, seniors housing, and community facilities.”

LaGrange adds she remains committed to integrity, effective representation, and servant leadership.

Signature collection for LaGrange’s recall can start Dec. 6, with 11,174 needed to make the petition successful. That represents 60 per cent of the votes LaGrange received in the 2023 provincial general election.

There were three other recall petitions issued Friday, bringing the total to 18. But in a twist, one of them is an NDP MLA, which is a first.

The three are UCP Calgary MLAs Tanya Fir (Calgary-Peigan) and Peter Singh (Calgary-East), as well as the NDP’s Amanda Chapman.

The application against Chapman claims she has chosen to use harsh partisan attacks, likening the elected government to extremists, and backing public sector unions over Calgary-Beddington families.

Chapman responded by saying that during recent job action by teachers, families in her constituency said it was a priority that they hear their representative stand up for educators. Chapman claims 99 per cent of letters received by her office said as much.

As previously reported, Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan is also facing recall.

More on the recall process is on the Elections Alberta website.