Braid: Will 'yes' vote on independence force Premier Smith to act? She won't say
The question to Premier Danielle Smith was as blunt as I could make it.
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If Albertans vote 'yes' to separation in a referendum, would she proceed to pull Alberta out of Canada?
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The premier did not say no. Neither did she say yes.
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'Until I see an actual question with 177,000 signatures of Albertans that are supportive of it, it's difficult for me to know what that looks like,' she said at Tuesday's news conference.
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'I did say (Monday) in my commentary that I will respect the wishes of Albertans, and at the moment, they're a bit undefined about what it is Albertans want to do.
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'I think if an election were held today, it (Alberta independence) would get about 30 per cent support.
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'So that's why I want to make sure that those numbers do not get higher and . . . end up going lower because we're successful in negotiating a new arrangement with Canada.'
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Smith is setting up the referendum idea as a pressure valve for angry Albertans. She'll let them get signatures while she tries to get a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
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Her personal view is clear — she's no separatist, yet. She seems to follow the Free Alberta Strategy that sees independence as a last resort.
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But her referendum vote could be the best thing that ever happened to Alberta separatism.
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The signature drive will motivate our separatists to organize, raise money and work hard. They'll pick up sympathizers along the way. They have Smith's full approval to give it a try.
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Postmedia's Rahim Mohamed asked a crucial question — would she allow her MLAs and ministers to campaign for one side or the other in a referendum campaign?
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Smith said the UCP was founded in 2017 with a declaration of 'loyalty to a united Canada and a commitment for Alberta to be a leader in the Canadian Federation.'
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'All I can do is try to convince people that my view is right, that it's worth giving it a try, it's worth doing the negotiation and it's worth trying to find some way for the federal government to compromise.'
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Silence in the face of this kind of horror isn't neutrality — it's complicity The Nova Music Festival Exhibition in Toronto in remembrance of the people murdered and taken hostage at the event in Israel. Photo by Peter J. Thompson / Postmedia Recently, I took the time to visit the Nova Music Festival Exhibition, which is currently in Toronto. For me, a strong ally to the Jewish community, especially in the post-October 7 era, as we witness denialism of the atrocities and a disturbing rise in antisemitism across Canada, it was important for me to bear witness. 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 I walked into the Nova exhibit expecting it to be heavy, but I wasn't prepared for the way it would reach into the deepest corners of my heart. Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for what I saw and heard inside those walls. The exhibit begins by painting a picture of what that day was like, showing the lights and music reminiscent of a vibrant festival. You can feel the joy, the unity, the freedom that filled the air before the horror began. Then, like a jarring shift in a dream, the mood darkens. You're surrounded by remnants of that day — charred tents, blood-stained clothes, twisted metal, porta-potties where people tried to hide, full of bullet holes. But it's not just the physical artifacts that hit hardest, it's the stories. 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. Listening to survivors recount what they lived through was gut-wrenching. One young woman described hiding for hours in a field, texting her family goodbye. Another man showed photos of his friends, now gone, whose laughter once filled the air just moments before everything changed. Their voices cracked, not just from pain, but from the weight of needing to be heard. And as someone outside of the Jewish community, I realized how vital it is for people like me to listen. The Nova Music Festival Exhibition in Toronto in remembrance of the people murdered and taken hostage at the event in Israel. Photo by Peter J. Thompson / Postmedia This exhibit isn't about politics. It's about people. It's about lives lost and lives shattered. It's about the raw human toll of hate and violence. The Nova massacre wasn't just an attack on Jews — it was an attack on humanity, on joy, on the right to dance freely under the stars. I saw myself in those young people. I saw my friends. My siblings. And that's when it truly clicked: Silence in the face of this kind of horror isn't neutrality — it's complicity. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. We must speak because every hateful act chips away at the dignity of us all. We must speak because our Jewish neighbours, friends and family deserve to live without fear. We must speak because justice demands it. What makes the exhibit so powerful is its refusal to let you look away. 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