{"id":290804,"date":"2025-11-18T10:33:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T10:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/290804\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T10:33:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T10:33:15","slug":"ucp-files-lawsuit-against-former-caucus-members-and-alberta-party-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/290804\/","title":{"rendered":"UCP files lawsuit against former caucus members and Alberta Party president \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Alberta\u2018s governing United Conservative Party is suing two of its former caucus members, accusing them of conspiring to damage the party\u2019s image and mislead the public.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762614923_240_70c8fc80.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\"\/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/peter-guthrie\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Peter Guthrie<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/scott-sinclair\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Scott Sinclair,<\/a> who are both named as defendants in the lawsuit, have been <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11270556\/alberta-progressive-conservative-party-ucp-guthrie-sinclair\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">trying to start a provincial party under the Progressive Conservative brand<\/a> since they were expelled from the UCP caucus earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>The two currently sit in the Alberta legislature as Independents.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tThis composite image shows former United Conservative Party MLA Scott Sinclair, left, at the Alberta legislature building in Edmonton on Monday, March 10, 2025, and former UCP infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie, in Edmonton, on Friday, June 9, 2023.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tJack Farrell, Jason Franson\/ The Canadian Press\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The United Conservative Association, which operates the UCP, filed the lawsuit on Nov. 7 in the Court of King\u2019s Bench of Alberta against them and Lindsay Amantea, president of the Alberta Party.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>The statement of claim says that Guthrie and Scott did not get the necessary signatures to apply for a new political party, so they allegedly teamed up with Amantea to use the PC Alberta brand \u201cwith a view to usurp the goodwill and reputation associated\u201d with the UCP.<\/p>\n<p>The Progressive Conservatives ran Alberta\u2018s government for more than four decades before collapsing and merging with the Wildrose Party into the new United Conservatives in 2017. The UCP has been Alberta\u2018s governing party since 2019.<\/p>\n<p>The court document says that as part of the unification, the United Conservative Association assumed ownership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta\u2018s names, brand and trademarks.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/national.jpg\" alt=\"For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tGet breaking National news<\/p>\n<p>For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/alberta-party\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Alberta Party amending its name or \u2018rebranding\u2019 as the \u2018Alberta Progressive Conservative Party<\/a>\u2018 will cause confusion for Albertans \u2014 which is what Guthrie, Sinclair, Amantea and the Alberta Party intend,\u201d the statement of claim says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe United Conservative Association has suffered damages \u2014 including harm to its goodwill and reputation \u2014 as a result of the defendants passing-off on the PCAA name and associated goodwill.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tPeter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair have been trying to start a new provincial political party, under the Progressive Conservative brand, since they were expelled from the UCP caucus earlier this year.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tGlobal News\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Guthrie could not be immediately reached for comment, but said on the social media platform X that the lawsuit isn\u2019t about trademarks, party names or justice.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is about intimidation \u2014 and it fits a pattern,\u201d he said in a video post Monday. \u201cThe UCP use threats to silence anyone who challenges them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said the statement of claim falsely states he was removed from caucus for misconduct.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe truth is: I raised concerns about potential corruption and pushed for transparency,\u201d he said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t removed for misconduct \u2014 I was removed because I refused to participate in it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the lawsuit, the United Conservative Association is seeking compensation and declarations that the three defendants engaged in a conspiracy and infringed on its trademarks.<\/p>\n<p>None of the allegations have been tested in court.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Exiled UCP MLAs hope to revive a political dynasty'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/6P_ALBERTA_PC_PARTY_pic.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"   data-\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2:22<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExiled UCP MLAs hope to revive a political dynasty\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Guthrie called the conspiracy allegation odd.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe irony is hard to miss: a party known for chasing conspiracies is now trying to convince Albertans that everyone else is part of one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis government has a credibility problem \u2014 and it shows when they use baseless accusations to distract from their failures.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sinclair and Amantea did not immediately reply to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\tRelated News\n\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11072303\/lesser-slave-lake-scott-sinclair-ucp-caucus-removal\/\" class=\"c-posts__inner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-posts__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Scott-Sinclair-Danielle-Smith-1.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"336\" height=\"224\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tRural Alberta MLA booted from UCP caucus for refusing to support budget\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11158111\/former-legislature-peter-guthrie-cabinet-notes\/\" class=\"c-posts__inner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-posts__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Guthrie.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"336\" height=\"224\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tFormer Alberta minister Peter Guthrie tables cabinet notes, calls for transparency\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In a statement Monday, the UCP said the PC Alberta name, logo and history legally belong to them and they have a responsibility to protect it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Alberta Party\u2019s attempt to rebrand under that banner is misleading,\u201d UCP spokesman Dave Prisco said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the Alberta Party wants support, they should build their own movement.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, this is meant to mislead and confuse voters by claiming a history and name that isn\u2019t theirs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In July, the UCP said it sent a cease-and-desist letter to stop the use of the PC Alberta name.<\/p>\n<p>Guthrie resigned from his position as infrastructure minister in February in protest of Premier Danielle Smith\u2019s handling of health-care contracts and procurement.<\/p>\n<p>He was later removed from caucus.<\/p>\n<p>Sinclair was expelled from caucus in March after refusing to support the UCP budget.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t&amp;copy 2025 The Canadian Press\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alberta\u2018s governing United Conservative Party is suing two of its former caucus members, accusing them of conspiring 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