Premier pitches Confederation case as separation referendum looms
Danielle Smith tells Albertans there's reason for optimism staying in Canada, warning of Brexit-level consequences if the province left.
Premier Danielle Smith told would-be separatists on her Saturday radio program that Alberta has grounds for optimism and should stay in Confederation, while warning of Brexit-level consequences if the province left.
"Because that is at the heart of the frustration that Albertans have, is that you had a federal Liberal government with a federal NDP coalition for 10 years that were trying to shut in our resources, and it's now laid bare, now that we have corrected all of the bad policies," Smith said.
A caller named Trevor voiced support for the referendum as a way to signal seriousness to the rest of Canada but worried about potential fracture within the UCP allowing the NDP to win the next election.
Smith said the provinces should continue working together and building on successes. "I can tell you, it just makes things a lot more difficult if you say that you want to sever the relationship and go your own way. I'm seeing that in the United Kingdom, they're already talking about how they can re-establish an open trade system in the UK 10 years on, and I don't, I don't want there to be that kind of regret," she said.
Smith emphasized Alberta's momentum under her government. "I think we're scoring a lot of wins, not only with the reestablishment of our relationship with the federal government, but also the chance for Western Canada to be an incredible powerhouse," she said. She also highlighted a recent meeting with fellow western premiers, noting a shift from asking Ottawa for more healthcare spending to pressing the federal government to meet its NATO commitments and boost defence investments.