Bell: Smith slams 'willfully blind' and 'ignorant' critics of Alberta
Article content
'We're feeling like the biggest threat to our economic survival is Ottawa, is continued Liberal-NDP policy like we've seen over the last 10 years.
'If they channel a little bit of their fear of Donald Trump to understand the trepidation of Albertans then maybe we'll get somewhere.'
So Trump isn't the biggest threat?
'There is absolutely greater fear that the Liberals and their NDP supporters are going to continue with the same devastating policies. That is what you're seeing Albertans react to.'
Why are many not getting it?
Smith is not offering them any excuses. None.
'I would call it wilful blindness because Alberta is such a big contributor to Confederation that I guess out east they don't like to be reminded of that over and over again.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
16 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
D.C. prepares for military parade with miles of fencing, dozens of magnetometers
Published Jun 09, 2025 • 2 minute read Workers put up temporary fencing ahead of the U.S. army's 250th birthday parade and celebration around the White House on Monday, June 9, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The U.S. army will mark its 250th anniversary with a parade along the National Mall that will include 6,500 troops, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft. Photo by Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images WASHINGTON — As the nation's capital cleans up from the culmination of World Pride this past weekend, focus now shifts to a very different massive event — Saturday's military parade to honour the 250th birthday of the army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'We're preparing for an enormous turnout,' said Matt McCool of the Secret Service's Washington Field office, who said more than 28 km of 'anti-scale fencing' would be erected and 'multiple drones' would be in the air. The entire District of Columbia is normally a no-fly zone for drones. Army officials have estimated about 200,000 attendees for the evening military parade, and McCool said he was prepared for 'hundreds of thousands' of people. 'We have a ton of magnetometers,' he said. 'If a million people show up, then we're going to have some lines.' A total of 175 magnetometers would be used at security checkpoints controlling access to the daytime birthday festival and the nighttime parade. Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith predicted 'major impacts to traffic' and advised attendees to arrive early and consider forgoing cars for the Metro. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'This is a significant event with a large footprint,' she said. 'We're relying on the public to be an extra set of ears and eyes for us.' The military parade has been designated a National Special Security Event — similar to a presidential inauguration or state funeral. That status is reserved for events that draw large crowds and potential mass protests. It calls for an enhanced degree of high-level co-ordination among D.C. officials, the FBI, Capitol Police and Washington's National Guard contingent — with the Secret Service taking the lead. RECOMMENDED VIDEO The army birthday celebration had already been planned for months. But earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to transform the event — which coincides with his 79th birthday — into a massive military parade complete with 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Multiple counter-protests of varying sizes are planned for Saturday, with the largest being a mass march to the White House dubbed the No Kings rally. Officials say they are also on alert for signs that the immigration-related clashes between law enforcement and protesters currently roiling Los Angeles would spread. 'We're paying attention, obviously, to what is happening there. We'll be ready,' McCool said. 'We have a robust plan for civil disobedience.' Agent Phillip Bates of the FBI's Washington Field office, which is tasked with counterterrorism and crisis management, said there were 'no credible threats' to the event at the moment. Lindsey Appiah, the deputy mayor for public safety, told The Associated Press last week that the city had longstanding plans for the army birthday celebration. But those plans 'got a lot bigger on short notice' when Trump got involved. Still, Appiah said the city has grown 'very flexible, very nimble' at rolling with these sort of changes. Read More Toronto Blue Jays Olympics Columnists Ontario Canada
CBC
17 minutes ago
- CBC
Pentagon deploys U.S. Marines to Los Angeles as California sues Trump administration
The Pentagon has formally deployed about 700 Marines to Los Angeles to help National Guard members respond to immigration protests, U.S. Northern Command announced Monday. This came as California officials filed a lawsuit Monday against U.S. President Donald Trump in response to the administration's extraordinary deployment of the U.S. National Guard to confront people who took to the streets in Los Angeles to protest Trump's immigration crackdown in the region. Attorney General Rob Bonta said the deployment "trampled" the state's sovereignty. He planned to seek a court order declaring that Trump's use of the Guard was unlawful and ask for a restraining order to halt the deployment. "Commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the governor of that state is illegal and immoral," California's Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom told MSNBC on Sunday. Newsom accused Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis and violating California's state sovereignty and the U.S. Constitution. Several times on X Sunday, he urged protesters to remain peaceful and told them not to "take the bait." He later warned what he called "bad actors" fuelling the flames that they would be held accountable by the state. The streets of the sprawling city of four million people were quiet Monday morning, but the smell of smoke hung in the air downtown, one day after crowds blocked a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire as police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades. The law enforcement presence was heavy, with police cars blocking the street in front of the federal detention facility that was a focus of the protests. While much of the city was spared from any violence during the demonstrations against Trump's immigration crackdown in the region, clashes swept through several downtown blocks and a handful of other places. Arrival of troops spurred anger and fear It could take days to clear debris from burned cars and to clean off or paint over graffiti sprayed on city hall and other buildings near the detention facility. Sunday was the third and most intense day of demonstrations, as the arrival of around 300 National Guard troops spurred anger and fear among many residents. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blamed the Trump administration for inciting tension by sending in the National Guard, but also condemned protesters who became violent. "I don't want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the administration completely unnecessarily," Bass told a news conference on Sunday. Later that night, many protesters dispersed as evening fell and police declared an unlawful assembly, a precursor to officers moving in and arresting those who refuse to leave. Some of those who stayed threw objects at police from behind a makeshift barrier. Others hurled chunks of concrete, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles parked on the closed southbound 101 Freeway. Officers ran under an overpass to take cover at one point. U.S. officials said about 1,000 National Guard members were in the city under federal orders by midday Monday. The full 2,000 members authorized by the president were expected to be on the ground by the end of the day. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details of military operations. Trump accuses California officials of lying Trump said Monday that the city would have been "completely obliterated" if he had not deployed the National Guard. Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, the president accused Newsom and Bass of lying by saying Guard troops were not necessary. The National Guard was deployed specifically to protect federal buildings, including the downtown detention centre where protesters concentrated. However, Police Chief Jim McDonnell told a media briefing on Sunday night that the protests were getting out of control and that officers were "overwhelmed" by the remaining protesters. He said they included regular agitators who show up at demonstrations to cause trouble. Asked if the National Guard was needed, McDonnell said police would not "go to that right away," but added, "Looking at the violence tonight, I think we've got to make a reassessment."
Global News
32 minutes ago
- Global News
B.C. government takes heat over marked growth in public payroll
B.C.'s NDP government is defending itself in the wake of new reports detailing the dramatic increase in public sector employees and the cost of payroll. The province is in the midst of a staffing shortage across key public sectors – currently short more than 1,000 teachers and six times as many nurses. But while critical positions go unfilled, the size of the public sector continues to grow, with British Columbia leading the country in the growth of taxpayer-funded jobs. 'It's gone from $5 billion worth of people (earning) over $75,000 to now $11.5 billion, so it's more than doubled,' BC Conservative finance critic Peter Milobar said. 'This government has a real problem when it comes to hiring, reining in costs and bringing things under control, and that leads to our structural deficit of over $12 billion.' Story continues below advertisement 1:57 B.C. database shows public sector salaries Critics say the size of government has increased across the board under the NDP's watch. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In 2017, there were just over 29,000 public servants. That number has increased to nearly 39,000, jumping 32 per cent over eight years. While the public sector is growing, private sector job growth is half of its historical average. The B.C. General Employees Union acknowledges the unionized workforce has grown, but says the real issue is the growth of non-union positions, and that management has increased at a pace nearly double that of union members. It's a claim that is echoed in health care, where the B.C. Nurses' Union says health authorities are top-heavy. 'Anecdotally, that's how it appears,' BCNU president Adrianne Gear said. 'From my members' perspective, it does seem like there is a lot of senior management leadership. Story continues below advertisement 'At any given time, we are almost 6,000 nurses short, that's how many vacancies we have, and when we move to full implementation of nurse-patient ratios … we are going to need many, many more nurses.' 1:20 How much could a new B.C. public sector contract cost taxpayers? The B.C. government has committed to hiring more front-line workers in health care, education and other critical occupations. But competition worldwide is intense. B.C. Premier David Eby said much of the growth is related to tackling that competition. 'They are doctors, they are nurses, they are teachers, they are people who provide vital services in our province. It is why we are leading Canada in recruiting family doctors and why we are on track to ensuring every British Columbian gets access to a family doctor. Ensuring we are competitive in wages for those doctors, ensuring we are competitive in wages for nurses, that we are the best place for a nurse to work in Canada,' Eby said. Story continues below advertisement 'It is how we are getting a handle on the big challenges we've faced in terms of closures at hospitals or shortages of nurses that are raising concerns among the profession here.' However, he admitted he was 'very concerned' about the growth in health care administration costs. He said the province is currently doing an 'extensive review' of B.C. health authorities to minimize those administrative costs. A renewed focus on B.C. resource economy, meanwhile, could bring an increase in private sector job creation. The business community is optimistic that the government is sending the right signals, but says it is waiting for the needed follow-through.
