United Conservative Party MLAs have voted in favour of allowing Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Jennifer Johnson into the caucus.
Johnson addressed the governing party’s MLAs prior to Wednesday’s internal caucus vote, the UCP caucus said in a news release.
The release said Johnson highlighted “the work she has done in her community and the personal growth and understanding she has gained through her engagement with the LGBTQ+ community.”
Johnson has been an independent in the Alberta legislature since she was sworn into office last year.
Premier Danielle Smith refused to let her sit as a UCP MLA after an audio clip surfaced during the election campaign in which Johnson compared transgender students to feces in a batch of cookies.
“That little bit of poop is what wrecks it,” Johnson was heard saying on the tape. She apologized for her remarks, which she repeated in a video posted online Wednesday.
Advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ people have expressed dismay that the UCP caucus was considering welcoming Johnson.
Last month, a video surfaced showing a portion of Johnson’s Zoom meeting with representatives from the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Johnson wouldn’t answer a question about whether she believed trans women were women.
In September, members of Johnson’s constituency association asked UCP MLAs to allow her to join their caucus.
Smith is facing a vote on her leadership at the UCP’s annual general meeting on Nov. 2.
‘I’m heartbroken’
In a written statement sent to CBC News, Smith called Johnson an “excellent” representative for Lacombe-Ponoka who has worked to reach out to the LGBTQ+ community.
“While MLA Johnson was met with varying levels of acceptance and participation at these meetings, she expressed to the caucus her growth and learning from these meetings,” Smith said.
Advocates were not impressed by Wednesday’s decision by the UCP caucus.
Jonathan Luscombe, founder of the Lacombe Pride Society, said in an email that he wasn’t surprised but was very disappointed.
Luscombe noted that allowing Johnson into the caucus comes weeks before the UCP plans to introduce legislation governing that would place limits on gender-affirming procedures and therapies for youth.
As described by Smith, the proposed legislation would require schools to get permission from parents if a student wants to use a different name or pronoun at school.
“Danielle Smith is a reminder that no conservative politician will ever look at us as people, only as a tool to gain political points. They do not care about our well-being, our journeys, or about us as people, and it shows with this decision today,” Luscombe wrote.
“I’m heartbroken for the people in my community that are going to look into that legislator and see someone who has attacked them, made them feel like garbage, represent and make decisions for them. It’s a feeling I wish no one has to feel.”
Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi called the caucus decision a “gut-punch” to all trans youth, their families and allies.
“Allowing Johnson to join the UCP caucus is yet again proving that the Danielle Smith who ran for premier is not the same Danielle Smith who is the premier,” Nenshi said in a written statement.
“Johnson’s apology lacked true remorse and we don’t fully know who in the community she met with or whether they accepted that her views have actually changed.”