CALGARY — A Calgarian has been given the green light to start collecting signatures to potentially put Alberta’s education minister out of a job.

Alberta’s chief electoral officer approved a recall petition application for Demetrios Nicolaides, who represents the constituency of Calgary-Bow.

Jennifer Yeremiy wrote in her application that Nicolaides is failing to manage the public education system while it faces a number of challenges, including overcrowded classrooms and understaffed schools.

She says his actions “render him unfit” to be education minister and represent the riding.

Nicolaides says the recall process is being used for the wrong reasons and that it should be kept for when members of the assembly act unethically or breach the public trust, not when people are just dissatisfied with government policy.

The applicant will now have three months to collect roughly 16,000 signatures, or 60 per cent of the total votes cast in the riding when the minister was elected in 2023.

It’s the first time a recall petition has been issued for an legislature member since the process was brought in through legislation by former United Conservative premier Jason Kenney in 2021.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2025.

The Canadian Press