Bell: Danielle Smith — Liberals not Trump are the greater threat to Alberta
Premier Danielle Smith is on fire this day.
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Even though the critics continue to dish out the daily rage against her and her UCP government, Smith appears unfazed by the fury.
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A question. How does Alberta's side of the story get through to these people?
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Many of these folks live in Ontario and they don't appear to get what's going on in Alberta.
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They are absorbed in the fear and loathing of the Donald Trump psychodrama. They are consumed by their feelings about the American president.
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'As scared as these people are of what Donald Trump is going to do to their economy, that's how scared Albertans are of what the Liberals are going to do to the Alberta economy.
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'Maybe that will help get through to them a little bit. That's how we're feeling in Alberta.
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'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.
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'If they channel a little bit of their fear of Donald Trump to understand the trepidation of Albertans then maybe we'll get somewhere.'
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'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.'
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Why are many not getting it?
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Smith is not offering them any excuses. None.
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'I would call it willful 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.
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'The willful blindness and maybe some expectation that no matter how much Alberta gets hit we will just find a way to keep on building and keep on sending money to Ottawa.
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'I think now they understand there's a portion of Albertans that don't like this deal.'
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The separatist portion.
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Smith says that is why on Monday she went through Alberta's grievances 'so people understood why it is there's a portion of Alberta that have simply had enough and they want to see a new direction.'
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Just a few of Smith's demands to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
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