High Prairie will not be heading to the polls, as the deadline for recall petitions against Mayor Brian Panasiuk and two councillors, Donna Deynaka and James Waikle, expired without any completed petitions submitted, according to the Town's CAO. "The Town of High Prairie did not receive any completed petitions as of the deadline Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.," according to High Prairie CAO Bill McKenna in an email to Municipal Affairs with Chris Brown.
The recall efforts, which were initiated aimed to remove Mayor Panasiuk, Councillor Deynaka, and Councillor Waikle from their positions. The lack of completed petitions means that these officials will continue in their roles unless other avenues for their removal are pursued.
Per section 240.8(2) of the Municipal Government Act, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs has been notified of the failure of the recall petitions. Additionally, the councillors named in the petition and the petitioner have been duly informed of the outcome.
The recall petitions needed 1026 signatures each to be considered sufficient.
Mayor Panasiuk, Councillor Deynaka, and Councillor Waikle will now continue their duties without the spectre of recall hanging over their heads. This is the third recall petitioner in the last month that has failed to be successful, or been deemed unnecessary - Wetaskiwin Mayor Tyler Gandam faced a recall petition but the deadline passed with no recall petitions filed with the Municipality, and in Donalda Mayor Doug Brooker resigned before the deadline to file the petition, s the resignation was deemed unnecessary.
Since the Province introduced recall legislation in 2021 it has been successful once, with Village of Ryley Mayor Nik Lee successfully recalled.