Opinion: Deciphering Danielle Smith's bows to separatism
Since becoming UCP leader and Alberta premier, Danielle Smith has subtly and not so subtly pushed for provincial independence. Her stated patriotism for Canada has been late in coming and mostly lukewarm.
Article content
Article content
More telling are her recent moves making it easier for a small but vocal group within Alberta to introduce a referendum on separatism.
Article content
Smith says she is giving Albertans the opportunity to vent their anger and frustration, much of which she herself has stoked. (One wonders what her response would be if sufficient signatures were obtained to put the idea of nationalizing the oil industry to a referendum.)
Article content
Article content
She hints, too, that a referendum is necessary to prevent a split within the UCP, though this strategy may be too clever by half.
Article content
Article content
Polls suggest that an outright vote on independence would be defeated. Besides the affection most Albertans hold for Canada — especially now when the country faces severe threats from the U.S. — the vast majority would also be swayed in any vote by the significant economic and legal costs of pursuing separation.
Article content
There are several possible answers. Smith may be responding to political pressures from her UCP base. The party's hardcore right wing anointed her as UCP leader and premier. Smith remembers that the same group brought down former premier Jason Kenney. She is mindful to constantly feed the beast, lest it swallow her.
Article content
Article content
Smith's actions may also just reflect a deep personal grievance against the federal government, the Liberals and even Canada. (She was eight years old when former prime minister Pierre Trudeau brought in the National Energy Program, which she and others continue to blame for the downturn in the price of oil in the early 1980s.)
Article content
But she also seems to hold the belief that Canada is a collection of provincial fiefdoms, with no role for the federal government. She once opined that Canada does not have a national government.
Article content
Smith's threats — like those employed by U.S. President Donald Trump — may simply be part of a bargaining strategy, albeit a poor one. She has listed nine demands, many of which are impossible for any federal government to grant. Additionally, several of these also tread on the jurisdiction of other provinces and the treaty rights of Indigenous peoples.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
B.C. government is going to be ‘biggest barrier' to new pipeline, says former B.C. premier
The federal government introduced legislation on Friday that it says will eliminate federal barriers to internal trade and speed up major national projects. Former B.C. premier Christy Clark tells Power & Politics that the two big challenges to getting a new pipeline through B.C. will be seeking Indigenous consensus and getting the agreement of the provincial government.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
AGLC to bring back liquor from United States ‘effective immediately'
A sign is placed in front of the American whiskey section at a B.C. liquor store after top selling American made products have been removed from shelves in Vancouver, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will resume selling liquor products from the United States after a three month pause. In March, the AGLC stopped the sale of all American alcohol products. On Friday, the AGLC announced it will 'resume accepting liquor products from the United States, effective immediately,' at the direction of the provincial government. This will affect all liquor products registered with the AGLC and declared to Canada Border Services Agency. Products that were shipped from the U.S. after March 4 will continue to be subject to a surtax of 25 per cent of the invoice price, the AGLC added. The initial decision was made to support Canadian producers in the wake of U.S. tariffs, Premier Danielle Smith said in March. 'If the Americans aren't going to buy products from our Canadian companies, we have to,' the premier said. 'That means we should be buying more Canadian beer, more Canadian spirits and more Canadian wine. And so that's the reality of what we're facing.' CTV News Edmonton reached out to the province to ask why the decision to resume selling U.S. liquor was made. With files from CTV News Calgary's Kevin Green
Calgary Herald
3 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Bell: Ontario, Quebec feel Albertans are loud whiners over nothing
The Angus Reid poll confirms the steady rat-a-tat-tat of emails fired into my inbox whenever the idea of Alberta being screwed around by the Liberal government in Ottawa comes up. Article content The incoming abuse almost always is from Ontario, the self-proclaimed centre of the universe. Article content Article content There are a few missiles shot from Quebec, often the favoured ones in this country called Canada. Article content Article content Article content Albertans you make me sick. You've got your stupid oil. Why don't you just shut the hell up? Article content What don't you just leave Canada if you don't like the way things are run here? Article content You get the idea. Then there's the poll. Article content People are asked if they believe western Canada, of which Alberta is a big slice of that pie, complains too much. Article content The majority in Ontario say yes. Too much bellyaching out west. Article content The majority in Quebec agree. As do the Atlantic provinces. Article content And in the last six years, the number who believe the complaining has gone too far has grown. Article content My guess is if Angus Reid pollsters had only asked about Alberta complaining, and not lumped the province in with the other western provinces, those saying there is too much complaining out here would be even higher. Article content Article content This is just the beginning of the picture. Article content When Albertans are asked about the West's political power, three out of four Albertans say the West has too little power. Article content Ontario, Quebec and down east feel we have just about the right amount of political power, which is almost squat. Article content As for the West's economic influence, that's a big question in Alberta since this province gives Canada more than it gets and receives more contempt than respect in return. Article content Of course, Albertans believe the West has too little economic influence but, you guessed it, Ontario and Quebec and the Atlantic provinces think the West's economic influence is just fine the way it is. Article content It really is stunning.
