Smith praised, heckled while flipping pancakes at legislature for KDays

For the first timein years, the premier hosted the K Days pancake breakfast at the legislature on Thursday , and was briefly disrupted by a protester.

For the first time since the pandemic, Alberta’s premier hosted the KDays pancake breakfast at the legislature Thursday morning.

Danielle Smith chatted with guests and smiled for pictures between pouring batter and flipping pancakes.

“It’s tradition,” Gertrude Yu told CTV News Edmonton while waiting in the queue.

Smith was even asked to sign a photograph of herself for Tom Johnson, who said he also has Jason Kenney’s and Ralph Klein’s autographs.

“I’m supportive of her because I’ve worked in the blue-collar industry and trades and transportation, and the party and the premier have been very respectful and supportive of us in that industry throughout her premiership. And also I’m supporting her because as a young Albertan in this province, I’ve done well financially under her and her party’s policies with the past premier,” he told CTV News Edmonton.

But Smith’s reception wasn’t entirely warm.

People carried signs that read “Save public health care,” “Blame UCP not immigrants,” and “Say no to coal.”

“No to coal. Listen to the people. Protect our environment,” Laurie de Grace said of her message to the premier.

Another voter said she told Smith, “You’re not supporting trans kids, you’re not supporting immigrants, you’re not supporting racialized people, you’re not supporting women, so who are you supporting?”

“They ushered me along very quickly,” Janice Williamson chuckled.

Former MLA Iris Evans also attended the event representing the “Vote to Stay” advocacy group, which is working to drum up support for Alberta remaining a part of Canada.

“My main mission here is to remind people about the importance of being Canadian,” Evans said.

“I think that we are well positioned to do even better right now. Our premier is working hard. I feel that the country really needs Alberta and Alberta needs to lead the country, rather than leave the country.”

Protester removed

A woman was also removed from the event by Alberta Sheriffs after yelling at Smith “You’re a f****** fascist…. You sold us out to corporations.”

CTV News Edmonton has reached out to authorities for more information.

Asked about protesters who swarmed Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s vehicle and smashed his windshield a day earlier, Smith commended her colleague for not letting the situation prevent him from carrying on.

“His point is the right one: We have to engage in protests in a peaceful way and a respectful way. And my experience is that most people do,” she told reporters after the pancake breakfast.

KDays officially starts Friday and kicks off with another pancake breakfast at the fair grounds.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nicole Lampa and Sean McClune