Marshall Smith, Alberta premier’s chief of staff, stepping down

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s chief of staff is set to retire from public service later this month, shortly before she faces a leadership review by her party on Nov. 2.

Marshall Smith has served as chief of staff for two years.

In a statement posted to social media, Smith said he told her at the start of the year that he would be walking away from the job in October, though he did not specify a date.

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“Marshall Smith has worked consistently to serve the best interests of Albertans every day in the premier’s office,” Smith’s statement reads.

“It has been an honour to work with Marshall. I and our entire province owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for his service to Alberta.”

The statement hails Marshall Smith’s work on the province’s recovery-based approach to mental health and addiction care.

“Countless lives have been saved and improved thanks to his commitment and service to the people of Alberta,” it says.

Smith came to Alberta from B.C. where he worked as a political staffer for the B.C. Liberal Party before falling into addiction.

He lived on the streets of Vancouver for four years before entering detox and recovery treatment and has now been clean for two decades.

“It’s been a long haul. I come by my wrinkles and grey hair honestly,” he said in an interview with Postmedia columnist Rick Bell.

Smith told Bell he needed a break from the intense job and plans to advise government throughout the country on addiction issues.

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His time on the West Coast was not without controversy when he was accused of forcing recovering drug users at a rehab clinic to solicit support for a local Liberal party candidate more than a decade ago.

Smith has denied those allegations.

More recently, changes the government made just before last Christmas to ethics rules around gifts have come under fire following revelations that cabinet ministers accepted Edmonton Oilers playoff tickets from MHCare, the company that imported the province’s ill-fated shipment of children’s pain medication in 2022.

The changes granted the chief of staff the authority to approve any gift worth more than that for staff and more than $1,000 for an event, conference or meeting.

The government has been reluctant to say how many ministers accepted such tickets with an apparent gag order in effect on the issue unless ministers are confronted in person.

Smith also invited Conservative MP Erin O’Toole to MHCare’s box for a game during the 2023 NHL playoffs.

Rob Anderson, a former Wildrose MLA and current executive director of the premier’s office, will take over Smith’s role as chief of staff.

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The United Conservative Party is scheduled to hold its annual general meeting in Red Deer Nov. 1-2 where Smith will face a vote on her leadership.

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