Republican Party of Alberta

{{Infobox political party

| abbreviation = RPA{{cite web |title=Parties |url=https://www.elections.ab.ca/political-participants/parties/ |website=Elections Alberta |access-date=May 5, 2025|quotation=Republican Party of Alberta (RPA)}}

| name = Republican Party of Alberta

| logo = Republican Party of Alberta logo.png

| logo_upright = 1.2

| leader = Cameron Davies

| president = Sarah Negussie

| headquarters = PO Box 25166 RPO Deer Park

Red Deer, AB, T4R 2M2

| registered = {{Start date|2022|1|20}} (as Buffalo Party of Alberta)

| split =

| merger =

| predecessor = Buffalo Party of Alberta

| ideology = {{ubl|Alberta separatism|Americophilia|Conservatism|Fiscal conservatism}} anti-monarchism

| position = Right-wing{{cite web|last1=Joannou |first1=Ashley |title=Small Alberta political parties see opening after Kenney's decision to stay on as UCP leader |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/kenney-on-cpac-more-leadership-follow-up |website=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Postmedia Network |date=May 20, 2022 |access-date=March 22, 2024}}

| colours = {{color box|#E10}} Red

| membership = {{Increase}} 24,000

| membership_year = June 2025

| colorcode = {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}

| seats1_title = Seats in Legislature

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|87|hex=#E10}}

| website = {{URL|https://albertarepublicans.com/}}

| country = Canada

| state = Alberta

}}

The Republican Party of Alberta is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 2022 as the Buffalo Party of Alberta, and adopted its current name in February 2025.{{Cite web |last=Hodgson |first=Jen |date=2025-03-28 |title=ALBERTA REPUBLICANS: Independence party launches rebrand |url=https://www.westernstandard.news/news/alberta-republicans-independence-party-launches-rebrand/63539 |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=Western Standard |language=en}} The party supports a binding referendum on Alberta independence and a subsequent non-binding referendum on joining the United States.

History

The Buffalo Party of Alberta was registered as a political party with Elections Alberta on January 20, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Resler |first1=Glen |title=2021–22 Report (The Forty-fifth Annual Report) |url=https://www.elections.ab.ca/uploads/Elections-Alberta-Annual-Report-2021-2022-redacted-signatures.pdf |website=Elections Alberta |date=November 2022 |access-date=April 13, 2024}} The first leader of the party was John Molberg.{{cite web |last1=Cournoyer |first1=Dave |title=The Buffalo Party of Alberta becomes an official registered political party |url=https://daveberta.ca/2022/02/the-buffalo-party-of-alberta-becomes-an-official-registered-political-party/ |website=Daveberta |date=February 6, 2022 |access-date=March 22, 2024}} The party held a launch event in Calgary on May 12, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Simmons |first1=Taylor |title=As Premier Kenney's leadership goes to a vote, Buffalo Party of Alberta emerges |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/buffalo-party-of-alberta-launches-1.6453164 |website=CBC News |date=May 13, 2022 |access-date=March 22, 2024}}

The party ran one candidate, Andrew Jacobson, in the 2023 Alberta provincial election in the district Edmonton-Strathcona.{{cite web |last1=Fletcher |first1=Robson |title=Here's a searchable list of candidates in the 2023 Alberta election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-election-2023-all-candidates-list-electoral-maps-1.6820824 |website=CBC News |date=May 24, 2023 |access-date=March 22, 2024}}

In March 2024, Andrew Jacobson was listed by Elections Alberta as the new interim leader of the party.{{cite web |title=Parties |url=https://www.elections.ab.ca/political-participants/parties/ |website=Elections Alberta |access-date=February 19, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Snell |first1=James |title=Conservative political party rebrands in Alberta |url=https://winnipegsun.com/news/conservative-political-party-rebrands-in-alberta |website=The Winnipeg Sun |publisher=The Klein Group |access-date=March 3, 2025 |date=February 19, 2025}}

On February 10, 2025, the party changed its name to the Republican Party of Alberta.

On April 11, 2025, Cameron Davies was acclaimed as the new leader.{{cite web |title=2025 Leadership Contest - Republican Party of Alberta |url=https://efpublic.elections.ab.ca/efLCContestOFS.cfm?MID=LC_2025RPA&OFSFID=113&PARTYID=19 |website=Elections Alberta |access-date=21 May 2025}} The party made the announcement of his leadership on April 29.{{cite web |last1=Heidenreich |first1=Phil |title=Smith says many Albertans frustrated by federal election, wants to 'reset' relationship with Ottawa |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/11155315/danielle-smith-alberta-carney-liberal-election-win/ |website=Global News |publisher=Corus Entertainment |access-date=April 29, 2025 |date=April 29, 2025}}{{cite web | title=Republican Party of Alberta Announces New Leader.|url=https://x.com/ABRepublicans/status/1917274093092762075|access-date=May 6, 2025 |date=April 29, 2025}}

In May 2025, the Republican Party and the Independence Party of Alberta signed a memorandum of understanding, which sought to advance and unify the independence movement in Alberta. The parties worked together to select candidates who ran under the Republican banner in the 2025 Alberta provincial by-elections.{{cite web |title=Alberta’s Republican and Independence parties join forces, react to Smith and separatism |url=https://rdnewsnow.com/2025/05/06/albertas-republican-and-independence-parties-join-forces-react-to-smith-and-separatism/ |website=rdnewsNOW |publisher=Pattison Media |access-date=12 July 2025 |date=6 May 2025}}

On May 14, 2025, the party announced its first candidate since their rebranding. The party announced that Fred Munn would run as their candidate in the Edmonton-Ellerslie by-election.{{cite web |title=Republican Party of Alberta Announces Fred Munn as Candidate for Edmonton Ellerslie By-Election |url=https://x.com/ABRepublicans/status/1922668232445735223 |website=twitter.com |access-date=18 May 2025}} On May 20, leader Cameron Davies was announced as the candidate for the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills by-election.{{cite web |title=Separatists, socialists, conservatives: Race to replace Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA heats up |url=https://www.thealbertan.com/olds-news/separatists-socialists-conservatives-race-to-replace-olds-didsbury-three-hills-mla-heats-up-10686286 |website=The Albertan |publisher=Great West Media |access-date=21 May 2025 |date=20 May 2025}} On May 27, Ravina Chand was named the candidate in the Edmonton-Strathcona by-election.{{cite web |title=Republican Party of Alberta Announces Ravina Chand for Edmonton Strathcona by-election. |url=https://x.com/ABRepublicans/status/1927379515631685953 |website=Twitter |publisher=Republican Party of Alberta |access-date=28 May 2025 |date=27 May 2025}} These by elections were held on June 23, 2025.

Ideology

As the Buffalo Party, the party did not call for Alberta independence but rather more autonomy from the federal government.{{cite web |last1=Lachacz |first1=Adam |title=New provincial political party says it represents 'overlooked' Albertans |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/new-provincial-political-party-says-it-represents-overlooked-albertans-1.5903126 |website=CTV News Edmonton |publisher=Bell Media |date=May 13, 2022 |access-date=March 22, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Senger |first1=Emily |date=May 24, 2023 |title=From communists to separatists, meet the other Alberta parties in this year's election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/from-communists-to-separatists-meet-the-other-alberta-parties-in-this-year-s-election-1.6851868 |access-date=March 22, 2024 |website=CBC News}} After becoming the Republican Party, it shifted towards a separatist stance, describing itself as being "at the forefront advocating for Alberta independence".{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2025 |title=5 Steps to a Strong & Free Alberta |website=Republican Party of Alberta |url=https://albertarepublicans.com/5-steps-to-a-strong-free-alberta/ |access-date=March 13, 2025 |language=en-US}} It proposes holding a binding referendum on Alberta independence and a subsequent non-binding referendum on Alberta joining the United States as a state or territory.{{cite web |title=Republican Party of Alberta Principles: 6. National and Global Engagement |url=https://albertarepublicans.com/our-principles/ |publisher=Republican Party of Alberta |access-date=March 23, 2025 |date=January 24, 2025 |quotation=We will support a binding referendum on ending Alberta's unfair and unhealthy relationship with the confederation experiment, ensuring a future that prioritizes Alberta's interests. We will hold a referendum to gauge the will of Albertans to seek U.S. statehood or territorial status.}}

Aside from the independence movement, the Republican Party also supports firearm ownership and abolishing the restrictive federal regulations.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-07 |title=FAQ {{!}} Republican Party of Alberta |url=https://albertarepublicans.com/faq/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |language=en-US}} It supports stricter immigration laws and the restriction of temporary foreign worker permits.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-24 |title=Republican Party of Alberta Principles : 4. Social Policies |url=https://albertarepublicans.com/our-principles/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |language=en-US}} The party is fiscally conservative, supporting lower taxes, responsible spending, and lean government focused mainly on core services. The party supports freedom of speech and the free market. On issues such as gun rights, smaller government, and stricter immigration, the party has similar viewpoints as the Republican Party of the United States. The party advocates a melting pot society after leaving Canada.{{Cite web |last=Martens |first=Kathleen |date=2025-05-23 |title=Alberta separatist party pitching melting pot society |url=https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/alberta-separatist-pitching-melting-pot-society-after-leaving-canada/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=APTN News |language=en-US}}

Membership

The Republicans announced that 48 hours after the 2025 Canadian federal election, the party grew by 11,394 members.{{cite web |title=Thousands have already joined the movement — and we're just getting started. |url=https://x.com/ABRepublicans/status/1918047788094636036 |website=Twitter |publisher=Republican Party of Alberta |access-date=5 June 2025 |date=1 May 2025}} In mid-May 2025, the party said it had given out 20,000 free memberships.{{cite web |last1=Stovka |first1=Riley |title=Alberta Republican Party gathers supporters |url=https://www.thealbertan.com/beyond-local/alberta-republican-party-gathers-supporters-10655660 |website=The Albertan |publisher=Great West Media |access-date=13 May 2025 |date=13 May 2025}} As of June 2025, the party claims to have reached 24,000 members.{{cite web |last1=Bruch |first1=Timm |title=Alberta separation becoming the focus of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills byelection |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/alberta-separation-becoming-the-focus-of-olds-didsbury-three-hills-byelection/ |website=CTV News |publisher=Bell Media |access-date=5 June 2025 |date=4 June 2025}}

Leaders

class="wikitable" \|+ !Leader ! colspan="2" \|Term in office !Notes
John Molberg \| January 20, 2022 \| March 2024 \|Founder{{Cite web \|title=Buffalo Party {{!}} You created it, now become a part of it \|url=https://buffalo.elloco.ca/ \|access-date=2025-05-09 \|website=buffalo.elloco.ca}}
Andrew Jacobson \| March 2024 \| April 11, 2025 \| Interim
Cameron Davies \| April 11, 2025 \| Incumbent \|

class="wikitable"

!Leader

! colspan="2" |Term in office

!Notes

John Molberg

| January 20, 2022

| March 2024

|Founder{{Cite web |title=Buffalo Party {{!}} You created it, now become a part of it |url=https://buffalo.elloco.ca/ |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=buffalo.elloco.ca}}

Andrew Jacobson

| March 2024

| April 11, 2025

| Interim

Cameron Davies

| April 11, 2025

| Incumbent

Election results

class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;" \|+Legislative Assembly of Alberta !Election !Banner !Leader !Candidates !Votes !% !Seats !+/- !Position !Status
2023 \|Buffalo \|John Molberg \|{{Composition bar\|1\|87\|hex=#E10}} \|106 \|0.01 \|{{Composition bar\|0\|87\|hex=#E10}} \|{{steady}} New Party \| {{steady}} 13th \| {{eliminated\|No seats}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"

|+Legislative Assembly of Alberta

!Election

!Banner

!Leader

!Candidates

!Votes

!Seats

!+/-

!Position

!Status

2023

|Buffalo

|John Molberg

|{{Composition bar|1|87|hex=#E10}}

|106

|0.01

|{{Composition bar|0|87|hex=#E10}}

|{{steady}} New Party

| {{steady}} 13th

| {{eliminated|No seats}}

=By-elections=

class="wikitable"
By-election !Date !Candidate !Votes !% !Position !Status
Edmonton-Strathcona \|June 23, 2025 \|Ravina Chand \| {{Center\|65}} \| {{Center\|0.67}} \| {{Center\|{{Up}} 5th{{refn\|group=n\|Up from the Buffalo Party, who rebranded to the Republican Party in 2025.}}}} \| {{eliminated\|No seats}}
Edmonton-Ellerslie \|June 23, 2025 \|Fred Munn \| {{Center\|291}} \| {{Center\|3.42}} \| {{Center\|{{steady}} 4th}} \| {{eliminated\|No seats}}
Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills \|June 23, 2025 \|Cam Davies \| {{Center\|2,705}} \| {{Center\|17.66}} \| {{Center\|{{steady}} 3rd}} \| {{eliminated\|No seats}}

class="wikitable"

By-election

!Date

!Candidate

!Votes

!Position

!Status

Edmonton-Strathcona

|June 23, 2025

|Ravina Chand

| {{Center|65}}

| {{Center|0.67}}