Alberta separatists slam Poilievre for declaring himself a 'Canadian patriot' opposed to secession
'Pierre Poilievre and the federal Conservatives want Albertan votes but not Albertan autonomy. Saying Alberta should stay no matter what shows exactly how little respect they have for the province's right to chart its own path,' said Michael Harris, the Libertarian candidate challenging Poilievre in next month's Battle River—Crowfoot byelection.
'That's not unity, that's control,' Harris said.
The Calgary-born Poilievre reiterated his belief in Alberta federalism at a press conference in Ottawa on Monday.
'Well, I disagree with separation. I'm a Canadian patriot (and) there's no other country in the world where someone of my modest origins would be able to make it,' said Poilievre.
Poilievre was responding after he took part in a CBC interview on the weekend and said Alberta should stay in Canada even if the Liberals continue to hold power in Ottawa.
Grant Abraham is another candidate challenging Poilievre in August's byelection. The leader of the United Party of Canada, which advocates for provinces standing up against federal power, Abraham said Poilievre is likely underestimating the level of unrest in Alberta.
'I mean so much of Alberta is so fed up with paying money to Quebec and Ontario in the form of equalization payments … Alberta hasn't seen any money back from that since the 1960s,' said Abraham.
Harris and Abraham both think there should be a referendum on Alberta independence next year. Abraham says he'd vote 'yes' if a referendum on the province's independence were held tomorrow, if only to wake Ottawa up to the reality of western unrest.
Republican Party of Alberta Leader Cameron Davies, who ran provincially last month in an overlapping riding, said he thinks Poilievre will face a rude awakening himself at the doors of Battle River—Crowfoot as he campaigns for the seat recently vacated by Conservative MP Damien Kurek.
'I can tell you in the part of the riding that overlaps with Mr. Poilievre's newfound home … that there is 30 per cent plus support, if not greater, for Alberta independence,' said Davies.
In the provincial race, Davies won just under 18 per cent of the vote, with most of his support coming at the expense of Alberta's governing United Conservative Party.
Jeff Rath, a lawyer with the pro-independence Alberta Prosperity Project, said that Poilievre's comments about Alberta staying in Canada show just how 'irrelevant' he's become to both the country and the province.
'He just can't read the room,' said Rath.
Rath said Poilievre hurt his credibility with Albertans by not taking the opportunity to say that he would abide by the results of a referendum on independence, as Premier Danielle Smith has repeatedly said she would.
He added that Poilievre's continued support for the federal equalization program and supply management will be a 'tough sell' with voters in the riding.
Poilievre also rankled some conservative Albertans during the CBC interview with his defence of supply management for egg and dairy farmers, which has become a trade irritant with the U.S. Trump administration, saying it pales in comparison to the 'tens if not hundreds of billions' U.S. farmers get in subsidies.
'Poilievre is saying that we're going to continue to stick our thumb in the eye of our biggest trade partner to protect the Quebec dairy cartel … he's not protecting the interests of Albertans,' said Rath.
Brad Wohlgemuth, a resident of Stettler, Alta., who plans to vote in the byelection, says he's been disappointed by how carefully managed Poilievre's campaign events have been so far.
Wohlgemuth said that he and other attendees of a Conservative town hall on Friday were asked to submit written questions in advance, and were not given an opportunity to ask questions from the floor.
'We want to test somebody out to see whether they can handle the tough questions,' said Wohlgemuth.
'Just shoot from the hip, man. That's what we're looking for in these parts.'
Poilievre said in his press conference on Monday that he understood why Albertans were so upset.
'We have to put a final end to this notion that Ottawa tells Alberta to pay up and shut up,' said Poilievre.
National Post
rmohamed@postmedia.com
Meet the military trailblazer who's gunning for Poilievre in Alberta byelection
Alberta independence movement takes hit in Olds byelection
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
State of play in Trump's tariffs, threats and delays
Dozens of economies including India, Canada and Mexico face threats of higher tariffs Friday if they fail to strike deals with Washington. Here is a summary of duties President Donald Trump has introduced in his second term as he pressures allies and competitors alike to reshape US trade relationships. - Global tariffs - US "reciprocal" tariffs -- imposed under legally contentious emergency powers -- are due to jump from 10 percent to various steeper levels for a list of dozens of economies come August 1, including South Korea, India and Taiwan. The hikes were to take effect July 9 but Trump postponed them days before imposition, marking a second delay since their shock unveiling in April. A 10 percent "baseline" levy on most partners, which Trump imposed in April, remains in place. He has also issued letters dictating tariff rates above 10 percent for individual countries, including Brazil, which has a trade deficit with the United States and was not on the initial list of higher "reciprocal" rates. Several economies -- the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines -- have struck initial tariff deals with Washington, while China managed to temporarily lower tit-for-tat duties. Certain products like pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber are excluded from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, but may face separate action under different authorities. This has been the case for steel, aluminum, and soon copper. Gold and silver, alongside energy commodities, are also exempted. Excluded too are Mexico and Canada, hit with a different set of tariffs, and countries like Russia and North Korea as they already face sanctions. - Canada, Mexico - Canadian and Mexican products were hit by 25 percent US tariffs shortly after Trump returned to office, with a lower rate for Canadian energy. Trump targeted both neighbors over illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking, also invoking emergency powers. But trade negotiations have been bumpy. This month, Trump said Canadian goods will face a higher 35 percent duty from August 1, and Mexican goods will see a 30 percent level. Products entering the United States under the USMCA North American free trade pact, covering large swaths of goods, are expected to remain exempt -- with Canadian energy resources and potash, used as fertilizer, to still face lower rates. - China focus - Trump has also taken special aim at China. The world's two biggest economies engaged in an escalating tariffs war this year before their temporary pullback. The countries imposed triple-digit duties on each other at one point, a level described as a trade embargo. After high level talks, Washington lowered its levies on Chinese goods to 30 percent and Beijing slashed its own to 10 percent. This pause is set to expire August 12, and officials will meet for further talks on Monday and Tuesday in the Swedish capital Stockholm. The US level is higher as it includes a 20 percent tariff over China's alleged role in the global fentanyl trade. Beyond expansive tariffs on Chinese products, Trump ordered the closure of a duty-free exemption for low-value parcels from the country. This adds to the cost of importing items like clothing and small electronics. - Autos, metals - Trump has targeted individual business sectors too, under more conventional national security grounds, imposing a 25 percent levy on steel and aluminum imports which he later doubled to 50 percent. The president has unveiled plans for a 50 percent tariff on copper imports starting August 1 as well and rolled out a 25 percent tariff on imported autos, although those entering under the USMCA can qualify for a lower rate. Trump's auto tariffs impact vehicle parts too, but new rules ensure automakers paying vehicle tariffs will not also be charged for certain other duties. He has ongoing investigations into imports of lumber, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and critical minerals that could trigger further duties. - Legal challenges - Several legal challenges have been filed against the tariffs Trump invoked citing emergencies. The US Court of International Trade ruled in May that the president had overstepped his authority, but a federal appeals court has allowed the duties to remain while it considers the case. If these tariffs are ultimately ruled illegal, companies could possibly seek reimbursements. bys/des/mlm Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Obama Speechwriter Jon Lovett on How Trump Is Funny Like a 'Clown With a Gun'
Donald Trump may not like being a punchline and seemingly never laughs, but he has a funny bone behind his frowns and scowls. Just ask Obama speechwriter and self-described comedian Jon Lovett. 'Trump's very funny. When he says Merry Christmas to all the haters and losers, that's funny. He's funny,' Lovett tells The Hollywood Reporter from the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'In the Land of Arto': Camille Cottin, Zar Amir Ebrahimi Journey Into Armenia and Its Past (Exclusive Clips) Why Stand-up Legend George Wallace Can't Get Off the Stage After 49 Years in Comedy: "I'm Living My Dream" Oasis Play Wembley: 5 Takeaways From Liam and Noel Gallagher's Nostalgia-Packed Return to Stage Sure, the U.S. president has laid ruin to U.S. politics since returning to the White House. 'Trump is a vandal. He's doing vandalism to our country,' Lovett insists. But he can't ignore Trump's surprise comedy chops behind that lower lip pout or when he shows open anger. 'When he steamrolls in an interview, or when he's on stage, he's doing his version of crowd work with his MAGA base. So I do think he's funny. That's part of his skill,' Lovett argues. He took to the stage in Montreal for a live presentation of his Lovett or Leave It podcast, with Gianmarco Soresi, Roy Wood Jr., Mary Beth Barone and Zach Zucker as guests. And while Trump's no stand-up, Lovett insists 'he's got a cruel sense of humor, and it works at times. He has a great sense for television. He knows what's going to play well. And he knows when what's happening is silly or ridiculous, and he knows when he needs to be on the outside of it, with the audience watching it.' 'We can pretend otherwise, but we do so at our peril,' he added. For Lovett, as a host of the Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It podcasts from Crooked Media, doing audio content allows him to fulfill all his creative interests and goals. 'It's writing. It's performing. It's politics. It's comedy. And I get to do all of them,' he explains. All of which is an unconventional route to stand-up for Lovett. 'I didn't do open mikes out of college, my path to telling jokes on stage wasn't the traditional one. I always feel a little bit of an outsider in the comedy world,' he admits. And Lovett points to the challenge of making comedy amid Trump's world of distractions and political division. 'It'll be hard to describe to future generations how stupid and dangerous politics in American have become,' he explains. One solution is to use comedy as opposition to Trump, including the Democratic Party, and become happy warriors, because the serious part of politics is exhausting, embarrassing and causes unending anxiety. 'We have to stay invested, and that's going to be a mix of seriousness when it's called for, but also a willingness to make fun of thse people for being fools like Trump is a clown with a gun. The gun doesn't change the fact that he's a clown, and the fact that he's a clown doesn't change the fact he's holding a gun,' Lovett insists. The Just For Laughs comedy festival continues through Sunday. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Federal government to stop funding hotel rooms for asylum seekers, IRCC says
Asylum seekers staying in federally-funded hotels will soon have to check out as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that funding will end in September. A spokesperson for IRCC told CBC News via email that as of Thursday, the federal government was housing 485 asylum seekers in five hotels in Ontario and Quebec, noting it has spent approximately $1.1 billion on temporary hotel housing for asylum seekers since 2020. "This measure was never meant to be permanent, and IRCC is funded to continue hotel operations only until September 30, 2025," the email said. Ottawa has provided funding for asylum seekers to be housed in hotels across Canada since at least 2018. Federal officials have previously said this system was always meant to be a stop-gap measure to deal with historic surges in migration. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that plans to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system have been cancelled, and proposed border laws will likely make it more challenging to claim asylum. IRCC says it will help those still in hotels find housing, but experts and advocates say that could be a tough task in cities with high demand and low supply. Municipal shelters are consistently full, according to Adaoma Patterson, director of community investments at United Way Greater Toronto. While some additional capacity has been added in the form of a dedicated shelter for asylum claimants in Peel, she says more needs to be done to avoid overloading an already-stressed shelter system. "I think municipalities are doing everything that they can. But shelters take a long time to build. So it's not something that can happen overnight," Patterson said. Affordable housing shortages also make it challenging for asylum seekers, who sometimes encounter problems finding landlords willing to rent to them, she said, adding that some could end up on the street or in unsafe living conditions due to overcrowding. "Anyone who is not in safe, stable housing, there's always a risk that their health is compromised. And then in extreme cases, you might see someone pass away," she said. Number of asylum seekers declining: IRCC Over 15,000 asylum claimants who were previously in hotels have now transitioned to independent living, IRCC said in its email to CBC News. The department says it will help the 485 people remaining in the hotels find longer term housing before the program ends on Sept. 30. It said it will support people on-site while they look for longer-term housing, and that it will continue "supporting provinces and municipalities in developing their own long-term housing strategies." "While asylum volumes remain high, they are nearly 40 per cent lower than last year," IRCC said. CBC News asked IRCC why volumes have declined but has yet to receive a response. WATCH | How the government scrapped plans to revamp the asylum system: Last year, the federal government cancelled an IRCC project meant to revamp Canada's outdated asylum system. The $68-million project was intended to be a major reform after Canada began seeing surges of asylum seekers entering the country, putting pressure on an already struggling system that relied heavily on paper files. Meanwhile, the government's proposed Strong Borders Act contains controversial new measures, including changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that would force asylum seekers entering the country to make their claims within a year. Where will money come from, economist asks Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University who focuses on migration, questions whether the volume of asylum claims has really declined that much. "Or is this just an attempt to offload it onto the province," he asked. Worswick says housing asylum claimants is an international obligation — and an expensive one at that. He warned that while the decision to end hotel funding may be motivated by a desire to cut federal spending, it could result in passing on costs to provinces and municipalities that are also cash-strapped. With those budget challenges and municipal governments lacking the taxation powers that higher levels of government can use, Worswick wonders, "Where is the money going to come from?" WATCH | How a Vaughan church is helping house refugees and asylum seekers: Grassroots organizations stretched to limit Community organizations have previously stepped in to support asylum seekers who fell through the cracks in different levels of government support. But they say they're also feeling strain. In 2023, hundreds of asylum seekers slept on the streets in downtown Toronto amid a funding stalemate between the city and the federal government. Miracle Arena For All Nations, a church in Vaughan, Ont., was one of several community groups that stepped up to help. Minister Isaac Oppong says his congregation has fed and housed over 500 asylum seekers on the church grounds since June 2023. He says he's concerned that ending the hotel program without other solutions in place will again lead to people sleeping in the streets. "There's nowhere for them to go. There's no repurposed buildings or there's no other housing. We will go back to square one like 2023," he said. Oppong says his congregation supports asylum seekers on a volunteer basis and hasn't received any government funding. He says it's not financially sustainable for local groups like his to continue supporting the influx of people long-term. "It's bringing people into your lifeboat because you see they're drowning," he said. "But obviously you can't keep them in the lifeboat. You have to take them somewhere else." Solve the daily Crossword
