It is a truth universally acknowledged that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is a separatist.
Well, not quite universally acknowledged, as we shall see. And only recently. But still, this recognition was not always so widespread.
The compulsion in a long-stable democracy to explain away actions of a popularly elected leader who goes over the edge or ignores the traditional limits of democratic rule is very strong.
For supporters of Ms. Smith’s MAGA project, of course, the effort to whitewash their leader’s true objectives is a worthwhile inoculation against an attentive and aroused electorate – possibly the only kind of inoculation that most of them believe in.
For the rest of us, it’s easy and comforting to ignore the evidence of our lyin’ eyes. This is true even when the reassurances come from the mouth of the leader herself, who has always insisted that all she wants is a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.
Given the way Ms. Smith and her so-called United Conservative Party define sovereignty, of course, this is impossible.
This is no doubt exactly as the promoters of the “Free Alberta Strategy” who have so heavily influenced Ms. Smith surely understand. Indeed, as University of Calgary professor Barry Cooper, one of the authors of the FAS, has said, one of the goals of the project is to create a constitutional crisis.
Ms. Smith’s Sovereignty (Within a United Canada) Act is unconstitutional on purpose, Dr. Cooper wrote in the National Post, the Canadian right’s answer to Pravda, back in 2022. Yeah, it’s unconstitutional, he agreed with the critics of the legislation. “That’s the whole point.”
They understand that if Ms. Smith’s MAGA government can function as a kind of super Parliament – able to ignore federal law by Sovereignty Act fiat and enjoy sovereignty over the territory and laws of other provinces, which appears to be the UCP’s minimum constitutional demand – then Canada is not a country anyway.
That, it is said here, was always the goal. International capital doesn’t like strong national governments that can make laws that interfere with profit for a public good. If you want an example, just look at how the Trump regime has now moved to impose economic sanctions against a regulatory official of the European Union for, heaven forfend, trying to require tech bro billionaires behave with a modicum of social responsibility!
Add to this Ms. Smith’s willingness to use her UCP majority to pass laws that benefit separatists and then swiftly cancel those procedures for other citizens who do not support secession, and it can no longer be denied that Ms. Smith is a separatist, and her UCP Cabinet and Caucuses are secessionists as well.
Widespread acknowledgement of this realty has been very slow to dawn, but dawn it has. Almost no one acts as if the UCP is just another ordinary English Canadian provincial party any more but for members of the government caucus and cabinet in the Legislature and a few political columnists from a still-influential U.S.-owned newspaper chain, the angry old men of Alberta politics.
Consider the lengths one Postmedia columnist went to try to explain away what Ms. Smith is transparently up to: “To be clear, I do not believe Smith and her people want an independence vote to carry,” wrote The Calgary Herald’s Don Braid. “They hope it fails and that the question is pushed off the table for years. Under that scenario, the threat will have done its work by goading Ottawa and holding the UCP together. But if the separatist question does win this vote, what does the sovereignty premier do then? Does the UCP take up the independence cause?”
Does anyone here seriously think that needed to be posed as a question?
Arguably, the Opposition NDP has enabled this kind of denial by treating the separatist posturing of the premier and her government as if they are just another species of bad Conservative policies, sub-optimal, but well within the Canadian Conservative tradition. They are not.
As for the federal Government and Canadians outside Alberta, they don’t seem to be paying much attention to what’s happening in Alberta. To some degree this is because Canada’s small-c conservative prime minister, Mark Carney, appears to share many of Ms. Smith’s objections to environmental controls on the fossil fuel industry, but if he thinks he can come to a lasting agreement with the UCP, even with the promise of a new pipeline to B.C.’s North Coast, he is mistaken.
Thomas Lukaszuk, he of the successful Forever Canadian petition that the UCP has sidestepped and ignored by changing its own legislation, has stated: “Danielle Smith joined the separatists and is now clearing all legal obstacles to Alberta separating from Canada.” If you judge the premier by her actions, not her words, there is no other possible conclusion.
Perhaps Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi has been fearful of not being taken seriously if he acknowledged the evidence too forcefully. If so, it’s time for that to change, or he risks not being taken seriously for failing to do so.
There are signs that might be happening. A recent NDP fund-raising pitch aimed at supporters was a little bolder. “Danielle Smith is a separatist,” it said. “She wants Alberta to leave Canada. She won’t stand up for our country, because she simply doesn’t believe in what Canada means to most Albertans …”
Moreover, the ad continued, she “aggressively pushes a radical separatist agenda. … She only works to tear us – and our country – apart.”
Well, this is progress. It is reassuring in the final hours of this difficult year to see more and more Albertans coming around to the same realization. It is time for all of us, surely, to wake up and smell the coffee, and start acting appropriately.
Still, it would seem we Albertans are increasingly likely to have to put up with an early election, called by Ms. Smith with the claim that her government needs to new mandate to deal with economic uncertainty and a new government in Ottawa. The reality, of course, is that she is likely to want to strike before too many voters realize how radical is the experiment she is proposing, and before the Opposition starts to act like its job is to oppose.
The UCP could very well win that election and, if they do, we are really in for it! Not only will there be a separatist referendum, but the UCP will put its thumb on the scale to influence the outcome, with predictable damage to Alberta’s and Canada’s economies no matter what happens and deep divisions in our society as a result.
In the event of the referendum, Albertans will be subjected to a massive foreign interference, voter manipulation, and disinformation campaign like the Brexit campaign of 2016, with a potentially even more disastrous result.
Enjoy your New Year celebration. We’re all going to have our work cut out for us after that.
It strikes me that the NDP have so much ammo for their comms in the next election (which a lot of us predict coming in the spring of 2026) that they should be shouting this from the top of their lungs. For example, “rather than fixing our health care in 90 days, rather than reinvesting in education, rather than making all Albertans feel like valuable members of our province, instead Danielle Smith is more interested in wasting money on provincial police, trying to take our retirement money from the Canadian pension plan for her own pet projects, and trying to separate us from our great country.”
Like, there is so much out there for the NDP to hammer her with!
what the NDP needs is money, cant win an election without it
I am doubling down on my donation bets by also supporting the Alberta Progressive Party in the hopes they will split the conservative vote.
Chris M: When you have a compliant media that goes along with the UCP, and endorses Danielle Smith at every turn, there is a major problem. If Danielle Smith shuts down the Alberta Legislature, so it has as little sessions as possible, and is only used for rushing very bad bills through, that is also problematic. Danielle Smith lies at an alarming rate, and the media will not say anything, that isn’t good at all.
Chris M: As I said, we have a compliant media, that endorses the UCP, and they do not challenge Danielle Smith for her lies. Very seldom will we see the MSM hold the UCP and Danielle Smith accountable for their major missteps. The NDP are seldom mentioned, unless it’s with lies. Being the autocrat that she is, Danielle Smith waited until the last possible moment to have the by-election in the riding of Edmonton Strathcona. Danielle Smith also let the Alberta Legislature have as little sessions as possible. When we see blogs like this, doing what the MSM is supposed to be doing, it just shows how they are scribes for the UCP. Naheed Nenshi can proclaim whatever he wants to, but if the media doesn’t give him any attention, and contues to lie about the NDP, this doesn’t help. One thing is that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. The MH Care (Corrupt Care) scandal is still present. Once that goes down, expect the UCP empire to collapse.
Couple of points… Why the patriotic attachment to the RCMP when so many jurisdictions in Canada already have their own police services? The RCMP themselves want to get out of community policing. Whether Smith or under another leader, it’ll happen. Re CPP. It’s Carney stealing the CPP for his projects. Seniors have been ripped off for years. Yes, the overall CPP fund may be healthy, but seniors are getting a pittance compared to its performance. Again, Albertans (employers and employees ) are contributing far more than they get in return.
Jac, really?! And you have the facts to prove the CPP theft? You should check into the rules governing the CPP. And, by the way, Smith has already indicated that it is OK to use pension fund profits and investment fund opportunities to prop up Alberta’s oil and gas industry. Hope you are saving for a rainy day! A word of advice since you seem to be very credulous – do not buy the Brooklyn Bridge.
A point that needs to be made with regards to
Albertans paying more than they receive, is that someone who works their entire career in Alberta, then retires to BC, or perhaps moves back to the Maritimes, is also included in the calculation that makes Alberta appear to be hard done by. There aren’t a lot of people coming out here for their retirement.
Bob: This is one of the points I have been repeatedly trying to make, here and on social media. If you worked most of your career, or a significant portion of it, in Alberta but never gave up your home address in B.C. or Nova Scotia, or you returned to another province to retire, you are still potentially part of the Alberta Pension Plan if the UCP succeeds in grifting the fund away from the CPP. At the very least, that would be art of the negotiations with Canada. I can’t see this turning out well for anyone who decided to go with the APP if given a choice, and I think the fact ordinary pensioners would be given a choice is small. Moreover, if the result of a separation vote is that Alberta becomes the 51st state, what are the chances the APP portion of the CPP pension fund would not be hijacked by the U.S. Government or the U.S. private sector? Ayone in an APP risks ending up with nothing. DJC
The RCMPis not trying to “get out of community policing.”
How many jurisdictions have their own policing? Only a few provinces (but not even BC, the 3rd most-populous province). Including municipalities is apple and oranges: UCP is proposing a provincial force to replace the RCMP. It won’t happen if theUCP is run out of power—and probably not even if it isn’t defeated.
Nobody, certainly not Carney, is “stealing” from the CPP; if that were true, pensioners would soon see their benefits shrink (they are, in fact, expanding); every penny of workers’ contributions is invested to support current payments to current beneficiaries…or did you think they should split the entire pot between themselves right now and to hell with future pensioners? That’s Danielle-Smith math!
Albertans pay the same federal taxes as any worker who makes high wages elsewhere because, naturally, the income tax rate is graduated, not a flat tax that only the wealthy approve of.
That was seven points, btw.
Scotty: This document is likely the source of claims the RCMP will soon be getting out of community policing, however defined. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2025-mdrn-rcmp-grc/index-en.aspx DJC
To me this reads more like a wish than an actual plan. It also doesn’t seem to say that RCMP will stop policing in those jurisdictions but rather have a local / federal partnership. While I do believe RCMP brass would like to cut loose rural policing, they’re precisely the ones who need them the most, and that’s unlikely to change. The flipside of that is while the RCMP brass would like to focus on more serious crimes and ignore the rifraff, they’re very unlikely to want to give up the POWER and AUTHORITY they have in those jurisdictions.
So sure yeah, as a wish I’m sure RCMP brass would love to lessen their responsibilities while maintaining their power, I want a pony. Neither seems likely to show up anytime soon.
“[So] many jurisdictions in Canada already have their own police services”? In fact, at the provincial level, “so many” works out to just two: the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Sureté du Québec (SQ). Oh, then there’s also the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), which polices parts of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador alongside the RCMP. However I have to date not been successful at learning what the jurisdictional handoff is between the RNC and the RCMP in that province. Nevertheless it is clearly not a true province-wide police force like those in Ontario and Québec.
By the way, Alberta did have its own provincial police force at one time, in the early years of the 20th century. However it was disestablished in the 1930s during the Great Depression due to cost.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Provincial_Police
Jac, do you not understand how the cpp works. Employee and employers contribute the same percentage regardless of where you live. Every person then receives the same amount upon retirement. The exception being at what age you retire. A simple Google search will explain it to you. I’m sure your next gripe will be equalization, just research that program itself as well. There is a wealth of accurate information out there. But if you choose to be ignorant, that’s on you.
Calling out the UCP in the last election did not work for Notley in rural areas. Frankly, I do not know what it will take to break the conservative/social credit strangle hold on generational voting. Possibly long term education that does not extoll Kenney’s grandfather’s musical contribution to the province. Certainly, pointing out the egregious costs and errors of UCP governance does not work nor does the reality of rural emergency/hospital closures.
The intrusion of social media and the internet has been a hard turn for this latest generation of voters. It seems like there’s very little middle ground in their politics and in my conversations with the younger folks I know they tend to agree with that observation.
It’s really, really hard to tell which side is winning, but they definitely have warped a lot of Gen z minds. Far right ideas are more popular among young people than I have ever seen them. FAR right, wearing Nazi regalia, not just MAGA hats.
We will have to see how long this nonsense goes on before the inevitable pendulum shift, but folks who consider themselves to be on the left need to be watching this carefully, these people mean what they are saying, they want to be violent, and an unknown number of them are very dangerous.
As far as rural jurisdictions specifically ? Those folks who would be a progressive force in small town alberta move away. They grow up, look around them and see there’s very limited opportunities for the quality of life they want and they leave.
For the people left, voting for the preferred candidate shows that you’re part of the club. You go along to get along because most people don’t really care about politics , they care about putting food on the table and gas in their tanks. You don’t rock the boat. It’s the same reason so many rural folks continue to go to church despite functionally not being religious. It’s the network, and and it’s how you show you’re one of the good people.
How do we get out it? We have to re gerrymander the gerrymandered province and give folks who live in URBAN Alberta actual representation in the legislature. We didn’t just wake up like this one day, this system was carefully created.
I remember all too clearly the unbelievably close Quebec referendum.
Good that you mentioned Brexit … I don’t think it’s fondly referenced by too many right wingers these days.
David: I’m sure they reference it very fondly in private. DJC
I moved to Montreal in January 1995 to go to university and the referendum was in October of that year. It was truly a traumatic experience. The lead-up to the referendum was insanely tense and everyone– neighbours, friends, family– was at each other’s throats. It was just awful and I do not recommend!
It’s unbelievable that the results were 49.5% OUI and 50.5% NON with a voter turnout of 94%. This was before the Time of Trump however. The results weren’t contested, and no one screamed voter fraud after the fact.
The once- and still-great city of Montreal has never recovered but no matter it looks like the pro-separatist Parti Quebecois is going to win the next election. But that’s more because the conservative-like CAQ has been a disaster and Quebecers like to change their ruling parties. More worrisome is the fact that more and more young people are in favour of separatism. But I suspect their brains are being hijacked by pro-Independence content on Tik Tok.
Madam, you ought to try living in Bonnyville Bozo land and live among the gun-toting loonies. Then tell me again how tense it was in Montreal.
I’m well aware. I’m related to some of those “gun-toting loonies” and went to school with a bunch of them as well. I’ve watched as even some of my more urban friends have become radicalized via satellite radio. This is what makes Alberta separatism so much more dangerous than QC separatism was in the 1990s. It’s also why I consider Danielle Smith not merely a separatists but a warmonger.
David, I suspect you are right about an early election. It is just too tempting for the UCP brain trust. What is ironic, is that will leave the NDP to save the complete disruption of the Alberta economy and the Canadian economy by defeating this load of crackpots. They are living in a fantasy land and haven’t considered that business prefers stability; capital flees easily at any hint of disorder. For those reading this who beg to differ, cast a glance at what a shambles the British economy now is, post Brexit. Alberta and Great Britain are not nascent Singapores.
The UCP is playing with a tribal thought and grievance inspired disaster, that could result in internal battles between rural and urban dwellers, techno citizens and farmers, and First Nations Aboriginals defending rights to their traditional territories, in the event of separation. This last item; the First Nation rights seem totally forgotten by the Alberta Prosperity Punters.
If the separatists gain firm control the reults will be devastating for Alberta, but perhaps not so much for Canada which is at least diversified, and has what is required to remain a trading nation. Neither do I expect post division Canada to have a kindly stance for Alberta.
the oil patch will always choose “stability” over democratic liberty – which they historically confuse with anarchy. the patch will support their apostle of “stability” until that person’s true agenda of control is revealed. but as long as that agenda includes healthy roi and unfettered activities, their capital will remain with separation. i’ll wager many in the patch are funding the separatist stooges as we speak, and as they role out their petition.
I think regardless of outcome we’re headed for a legal shitstorm with the Separatists and the Indigenous Leaders getting into a legal battle that’s gonna get dragged on for a decade bare minimum
Another great column. I also have been discouraged by Nenshi’s lack of engagement since his election. Maybe he should also be subjected to a recall petition to smarten him up!
P.S. You have a repeated paragraph near the end of the column, as I’m sure other readers are informing you as we speak!
Frankie: Thanks. I have edited that passage to eliminate the redundancies. DJC
The NDP aren’t helping the situation. They should be screaming from the rooftops that they are the descendants of Universal Healthcare, union solidarity and worker’s rights–instead of assuming Albertans will see them as the obvious choice.
This is the time to be loud and proud of their socialist roots and build worker solidarity. Hot speeches and loud rallies. They are not Mark Carney who grabbed a moment in history to be the quiet, calm leadership. Alberta is far past that. If the NDP can’t meet this moment, they are done for as a party–everywhere.
What are the NDP doing in this moment of crisis? Quietly sitting around doing, what…exactly? Navel gazing?
The Alberta NDP seems to be making a lot of FB posts lately that sure look like getting ready for an election.
Frankie: The weak excuse to blame Naheed Nenshi! That just doesn’t cut it. For starters, we have a media that goes right along with the UCP. Danielle Smith is praised and endorsed, and her lies are never challenged. That is exactly why the NDP were defeated in the last provincial election. Very few in the MSM will actually say something that criticizes the UCP’s major mistakes. In addition to this, Danielle Smith has waited until the very last possible moment to have the by-election in the riding of Edmonton Strathcona. On top of that, the Alberta Legislature has very little sessions, due to Danielle Smith making it that way. Danielle Smith loathes democracy, and stifles opposition, and the media goes right along with her. What Danielle Smith is creating is a one party state, with autocratic rule. Naheed Nenshi has nothing to do with any of this.
The UCP should change its name to “le parti Albertain” (they need to use the French title because its English equivalent is already taken). At least that would be truth in advertising …
Jerry, another suggestion: Parti Red Nequois.
Just a note that I’ve been bawled out for making that very joke on the grounds that it would hurt the feelings of right-wing Alberta snowflakes who turn out to be as woke as anyone else when they are stereotyped and insulted as a group. DJC
I’ve always been partial to Le “Bloc Albertois”. People around here loathed the separatists back when Quebec separation was on the table, but they have become the exact thing they claimed to oppose.
It’s always hypocrisy with assholes.
An early election would also allow the UCP to sidestep the redrawing of electoral boundaries. The interim map drawn by an independent commission would give two additional seats to Calgary, one additional seat to Edmonton, an additional seat to the north Calgary suburbs, with the corresponding loss of two rural seats. In a closely contested election, the proposed new boundaries could tip the balance toward the Alberta NDP.
Good point. I should’ve mentioned that. DJC
So what if Smith is a semi closeted separatist and not just a naive David Cameron like leader whose actions are headed to disaster? I’m not sure it matters much if the result is the same in the end.
Her party does have some clearly strong separatist elements, which Smith is trying to appease rather than confront. However unless there is some secret recording of Smith admitting she is also one, we will have to continue to take her at her word about her loyalty, as ambiguous and slippery as it is at times.
I also still lean towards the Smith is a useful idiot for the separatists argument because in the past she has shown bad, terrible judgement. The main thing Smith is good at is convincing us she really believes whatever bad ideas are currently in her head. Unfortunately this seems to be a big part of success in politics these days, where focus more on the apparent credibility of the messenger rather than the message.
To be fair, I do feel Smith and her separatist crowd in the UCP has concluded that Canada is an obstacle to what they want. Hence the whoops I did at again repeated use of the Notwithstanding clause that has troubled many Albertans. However, the Alberta variant of separatism was never so much about passion for the province as a nation, but as a means to an end. So they would probably give up independence in a moment to be the 51st state. They are loyal to interests not nations and this is perhaps the loophole Smith uses to claim not to be a separatist while doing all she can to advance it.
I think Smith would gladly hand Alberta over to that criminal Trump. I agree that she has been disloyal to Canada for years. Before she got back into politics she did record a video saying she would refuse to wear a poppy because she was ashamed of Canada or of being Canadian, I forget which. I also forget what reason she claimed at that time, no doubt it was a stupid one.
Oh thank the Doggess Albertans are finally waking up to Smith’s game plan.
Over here in the rest of Canada we’ve been screeching this into deaf ears for what feels like, forever. I’ve been all over this since I listened the the Americans on Zello egging on the truckers to ever more egregious behaviour. While I have empathy for the average truckers who *were* vaxxed and just didn’t see the point in mandating it (I didn’t either because it’s a leaky vax–unlike measles etc it does not prevent the spread so I applied, “my body my choice” to the discussion)–it was clear the *leaders* of that were a combination of separatists and “ex” CSIS operators/infiltrators pushing an altogether different agenda than the average protester. They were pushing for a clampdown so they could then complain that the gubmint was totalitarian. It ended without dead bodies thank G_d but not for lack of trying by the separatists and American agitators.
That set my radar, off. Right then I knew we were in deep, deep trouble with this separatist nonsense coming out of Alberta and I’ve been screaming ever since. Anyone who has studied how the American Empire operates as far as colour revolutions and coups are concerned could see this coming a mile away. Break apart countries and profit from the resulting chaos has been the USA playbook, practically since its inception.
The rest of the Alberta clownshow needs to take a look at Puerto Rico, Philippines, Haiti, Hawaii (or name-that-coup) as to how the USA treats their territories and “protectorates” and wake the actual phuque, up.
Like the Mongols they over run the place, sack it, then burn it to the ground, never to rise again.
Something you mentioned and was reported at the time but I’ve seen ALMOST NO MENTION of since was as you put it exCSIS operatives were involved, I believe the head of Trudeaus security team resigned and joined the protests as well… I can’t find any of the original reporting, but it’s something I’ve alluded to before, with specific regards to people who are waiting for the security state to step in and break up this separatist nonsense.
I really don’t trust CSIS, many of them are completely outclassed by their competing agencies, others it would seem are very motivated by their loyalties to the five eyes.
Wake up, Canada! Our country is under attack from within by Danielle Smith and her separatist sock puppets. Danielle Smith seeks to rip Canada apart. Alberta will be the first to go, but Canada will fall to the US in quick order. We must stop her now. This is not just a battle for Alberta by Albertans, but a battle for Canada. The time to stop her is now. Wait and it will be too late. The fact of separatism might look like an unkempt rodeo clown, but don’t be deceived. Its real face looks a lot like Donald Trump.
My fellow Canadians, are you for or against Canada? The choice is that clear. Unite with Albertans to stop the Smith separatists or you are next. We are about to lose Canada.
@AB exactly.
The amount of infighting that will happen if Alberta were to separate enables only one thing–American expansionism.
There will be a civil war that benefits the Americans as Canada gets carved up like a Christmas goose by American Oligarchs. Forget sovereignty–the USA will be calling all the shots while insurgencies try to make their lives miserable and the economy is utterly tanked and taken over by the Technoligarchy
The west coast will be cut off, stuck with Alaska on their border and a logistical nightmare to defend them from incursion. Those ships in Venezuela’s harbours right now will be sitting in theirs.
First Nations folk will be turned into insurgents just to survive and lest Alberta think the rest of us will not be grabbing the first car pool right to some hidden place on their border to stand up for our own–they are deluding themselves.
We’re in the fight for this country or it will be Canageddon if we don’t learn from history.
Paraphrasing the wily, p’tit gars de Shawinigan, Jean Chrétien: if Canada is divisible, then Alberta is divisible.
That remark was about Quebec’s 1995 Referendum and it created quite a stir. Indigenous nations in Quebec heartily concurred.
But remember: he said that BEFORE the Clarity Act was passed and BEFORE the SCoC ruled (in a reference) that the Constitution would need to be amended to allow any province to secede (that is, if all eleven sovereign parliaments in Canada ratified the secession).
Considering the difficulty in amending the Constitution (7/10 provinces=50%+1 national population + HoC must ratify the amendment), let alone achieving the 11/11 criterion, Chrétien might just as well have said: if Canada is divisible, then the Moon is divisible.
Scotty: Remember that the goal of the Alberta separatist movement’s self-appointed leaders is to create conditions for a constitutional crisis (a majority vote in a rigged or disrupted referendum would do nicely), to unilaterally declare independence, and then to be immediately recognized as a legitimate nation by the Trump Administration. Ultimately, notwithstanding their claims to the contrary, their covert fourth goal is absorption by the United States as a 51st state, at which point their key objective would be met – wide open gun ownership for all. Probably a spell as a republic would be used to ethnically and politically cleanse the population. In the short term, if Mr. Trump were to be impeached and convicted, or removed from the office of president under Article 25 of the U.S. Constitution, or pass away, that would likely end this separatist project for a generation at least because no other potential U.S. president, including JD Vance, would be crazy enough to pursue such a course with a neighbour that in effect acts as a vassal state anyway. DJC
Exactly this DJC.
Trump and the USA deep state have never cared about the law and never will–and they encourage any “movements” they’re pushing not to care about it, either. Including Alberta seperatism.
I think the end game for them is to cause a constitutional crisis then declare that “Canada is run by despots” so they can blockade our ports, force us to sell only to them then sanction us from trading with other nations to “save Canada from totalitarianism”–same tactic as Venezuela.
Of course, David, there is no legal way for Alberta to secede anytime soon, and certainly not before the alternative, ‘tRump-to-the-rescue’ opportunity races by entirely. Hence the UCP is risking rash chess moves by getting in a rush.
Just with the kidnapping of Madero and the US “going to run Venezuela” alone, the dynamics required for an Alberta unilateral declaration of independence to coordinate with the USA effectively annexing a NATO ally’s sovereign territory —presuming, we should hope, Canada defends itself—has substantially changed, the pace considerably quickened, and the ramifications are certain in degree, if not in kind or detail. For example, tRump may not, by US law, unilaterally annex another country, and he simply cannot arrange it politically or by fiat, much, much less diplomatically before midterms in just eight months—which of course will increasingly distract him while such a stratego-economic earthquake reverberates around the world—not to mention his apparent, progressing cognitive deficiencies.
In the circumstance, he wouldn’t become rash as the walls start caving in around him, just more rash than he already is. If he tried to annex Alberta—even with a supposed licence of a cooked Smitherendum—he couldn’t hog the stage upon which the hottest spotlight on the planet would surely focus , something the rashest non-strategist is tactically afraid of for narcissistic reasons, especially, one has to presume, in his increasing state of befuddlement and resort to base, ill-considered impulse.
I ask, rhetorically: What kind of premier would hook her wagon to such a classic idiot?
The defence rests.
Ab: You gave an excellent summation of things.
Nice dose of end-of-year reality. Thanks a lot, David.
Your blog is another reminder we must learn to respond more subtly and more completely to Smith’s and the UCP’s devious policy decisions. Just calling her “that awful woman” or worse, is not enough.
Also, a cautionary note we may have witnessed from south of us. The NDP still has to demonstrate it understands the basic bread-and-butter issues, as well as the very real threat of separation you explain so well.
I have a feeling that Thomas Lukaszuk will be more effective in this fight than the entire 38 member Alberta NDP caucus.
The referendum questions will be nothing more than push polls and the misinformation campaign won’t even have to be sophisticated to bamboozle our citizens. They do after all keep supporting Smith and her confederacy of dunces.
About 15 years ago an old, now ex friend tried to recruit me to what is now the UCP.
The goal back then- a one party political state, China she said.
Promises of riches for me from all the government contracts we “insiders” would get if I joined.
Since she was a teacher and I was working in acquisitions at an oil production company in Calgary, I was confused.
Anyway, after years of a pressure campaign by her it failed.
Next pressure campaign.
Suck up to me and flatter. You’re white, blue eyed, university educated, etc. bullshit.
The UCP is about money and raw political power.
Money for themselves personally. Taken from people who pay taxes and expect services. A very private social club. They are repulsive once they reveal themselves to you.
Since the whole white supremacy idea failed, the now UCP changed tactics.
Bamboozle the normal people of Alberta with endless ridiculous regulations and laws
and hope we never realize we’re being scammed.
The UCP likes to pass itself off as heartland, real Alberta.
The Smith government is powered by smart people in Edmonton and Calgary and funded by lots of money.
And Alberta votes for them.
People are starting to think, “but these rich big city people have so much money, the coal laws, rotting oilwells are so harmful to our land our rivers to their own kids, why would they do that?”
Simple. Money and status and a deep belief in some people just are more deserving.
If I may offer a thought to Nenshi and the the Alberta NDP.
The UCP hates you.
Personally and deeply.
The UCP hates that someone would give a hoot about anyone but themselves. They hate competence and the idea that anyone would do something purely because it maybe helped someone else.
A transactional party. Dog eat dog.
One other thing Nenshi, rid the Alberta NDP of any remaining social media warriors. The ones on the extreme left who are habituated to be correct publicly in response to all the crap the UCP offers up.
The goal is to get rid of this corrupt incompetent regime.
Remember that.
Clarity Act 2000. it exists everywhere except the propagandist brains of The Cult Inc.
The Clarity Act is moot if the Constitution isn’t amended first. The SCoC ruled that all eleven sovereign parliaments in Canada (the Northern Territories are not sovereign) would need to ratify a secession —but that isn’t in the Constitution at present, so the Constitution would have to be amended to say that using the almost-impossible-to-achieve amending formula (7/10=50%+1 national population +federal HoC must ratify the amendment).
The Clarity Act (passed in 2000) does remind that the questions in both Quebec Referenda would not be allowed again (1980, sovereignty-association, yes or no; 1995 permission to negotiate secession with Canada) because they referred to speculative factors and potential outcomes which voters could not know when they marked their ballots.
Smith has always been a separatist. She was heard to say 25 years ago that she is an Albertan first and a Canadian second. She was quite a presence on separatist websites back then and she and her buddy, Stephen Harper, used to attend 4th of July celebrations. As someone who has followed her sordid career, I’m aware of her
past behaviours. If she and her fellow bottom-feeders are so in love with the U.S., why don’t they just move there? Why do they have to try to drag the rest of us with them? Go, and good riddance. Nenshi better get his shit together — fast. I constantly hear about all this egregious stuff the UCP is doing and yet there’s Nenshi posting about how much fun was had by all at some ethnic festival. For God’s sake, Naheed! We need you to step up. It’s urgent! I wonder if Sarah Hoffman would have been the fiery leader that party needs. And then there’s Janis Irwin posting pix of her cats. Wake up, all of you NDPers! Quit being so anemic. We need you to win!
“You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes. And your smile is a thin disguise. I thought by now you’d realize there ain’t no way to hide your lyin’ eyes.”
There is a lot to explain, understand and and analyze about the ‘separatist’ issue with the multiple subjects that have been raised above by Mr. Climenhaga, each deserving separate analysis and discussion. For example,
First, above all, is the indigenous question and their status/treatment. Because,
“Behind all the political maneuvering lies the real issue at the core, which is control of Alberta’s vast natural resources. Both Currie-Hall and Arcand-Paul identify resource extraction and the Natural Resources Transfer Act (NRTA) as central to the conflict.”
https://ricochet.media/indigenous/treaty-rights-at-risk-how-alberta-premier-danielle-smith-is-threatening-canadas-indigenous-foundation/
Noting that, “(Tom) Flanagan was a darling of the media and political class, despite his falling out with Stephen Harper whom he mentored and groomed for his rise to power. His entire academic career centred on opposing affirmation of the hereditary, treaty and constitutional rights of First Nations, Métis and Inuit. He has advocated what amounts to forced assimilation through such means as turning aboriginal lands into private property, which can be bought up by the resource monopolies and other private interests.”
https://halifax.mediacoop.ca/blog/tony-seed/16991
Considering the above disclosures, the deceptive posturing by the UCP and its leader begins to make more sense. Further, “Smith and Modry appear to have a working relationship, with Smith saying during a leadership debate hosted by APP and Ezra Levant’s Rebel News that the pair share similar goals. “So part of when I decided I wanted to run [for Alberta premier], I knew how important it was to make sure that we addressed the issues of autonomy. And I talked to Dr. Modry as one of my first steps. I said, ‘let’s try this together.’”” There are multiple different ‘working relationships’ with multiple different individuals fixated on the same outcome.
Second, the fact that there are lawyers involved (e.g., Jeffrey Rath) is hardly surprising as:
“Alberta’s path to potential separation would be constitutionally complex, requiring extensive legal, political, and intergovernmental engagement.”
It will be a monetary windfall for any lawyer involved in the deliberately orchestrated legal and political separatist clusterf##k.
Third, regarding Brexit and its aftermath:
“Brexit will damage the UK economy “for the foreseeable future”, the head of the Bank of England has admitted.”
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/brexit-will-damage-the-uk-economy-for-the-foreseeable-future-says-bank-of-england-chief_uk_68f474cce4b02184e56e5883
And, “Dr Mike Galsworthy, chair of European Movement UK campaign group, said: “These latest figures from the independent OBR on UK trade are just the latest confirmation of what we already knew. Brexit does not work for working people.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-uk-trade-reduction-obr-eu-b2638317.html
Although the well connected appear to be managing: “How Jacob Rees-Mogg’s new Brexit post could make him richer”
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/jacob-rees-moggs-new-brexit-post-make-him-richer/
The assumption that follows is that the well connected in Alberta will manage quite nicely as well. Noting that what has been presented barely scratches the surface.
You’re on to something, gumshoe. The UCP act like a bunch of desperados, each day they constantly try to take it to the limit and, quite honestly, I can’t tell you why. All we can ask is that one of these nights UCP voters will realize it was nothing more than wasted time with that witchy woman. Perhaps even give the new kid in town a chance? In the meantime maybe we should all just take it easy and try to enjoy that peaceful easy feeling that only the New Year can bring. I wish you peace in 2026 and hopefully everyone will remember that love will keep us alive.
Remind: a lot of Treaty Nºs. 6, 7, & 8 (all or parts of which cover all of Alberta) are already available for private purchase (of fee simple tenure). Treaties extinguish indigenous nations’ sovereign claims, but those treaty nations do retain certain specific rights, generally to hunt, fish, and trap on land they do not own in fee simple (“Indian” Reserves, in contrast, are effectively Federal territory).
It needs reminding because the pipeline MOU involves traditional territories of a number of BC indigenous nations which do not yet have treaties and therefore have special protocols with respect the disposition of natural resources in those territories by which the two competing sovereign claimants (a First Nation without treaty and the Crown) must negotiate interim to treaty settlement.
One more thing needs clearing up while we’re at it: the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (called the DRIP Act in BC) is not a part of Canadian jurisprudence (it is rather a guideline for policy makers) , so that “prior consent” (per UNDRIP orDRIPA) is not required before developing resources in traditional indigenous nations’ territories but, instead, “meaningful consultation” interim to treaty settlement is required by SCoC William v. Regina 2014–which does not apply to Alberta where treaties were already settled before it was confederated with Canada in 1905.
“the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (called the DRIP Act in BC) is not a part of Canadian jurisprudence”
That is not what the following seems to suggest,
“UNDRIP is the law in British Columbia today and, we expect, tomorrow as well”
“On December 5, 2025, the British Columbia Court of Appeal (BCCA) made its decision in Gitxaała v. British Columbia, 2025 BCCA 430 (Gitxaała), ruling that the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) incorporates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into the positive law of British Columbia with immediate legal effect, creating legally enforceable obligations on the Province of British Columbia.”
https://www.mltaikins.com/insights/undrip-is-the-law-in-british-columbia-today-and-we-expect-tomorrow-as-well/
Now of course, the entire following sources should be read very carefully in conjunction with the above source because as we have seen in Alberta, when a politician does not agree with a legal ruling(s) from the court then the solution is to simply change the law(s). That should sound very familiar to anyone living in Alberta. [“Eby is now arguing judges shouldn’t be setting the province’s reconciliation agenda. And he says he is willing to change the law to make sure they can’t.”] That is suggesting that Court is relevant only if it agrees with a politician(s) who happen(s) to be currently in charge. That I believe sets a dangerous precedent. I believe there may even be historical examples of such dangerous precedents. See also the following,
“‘Extremely offensive’: B.C. premier’s plans to change Indigenous Rights law met with frustration”
https://thenarwhal.ca/undrip-eby-shifting-politics/
The entire separatist issue is solely about power and control over resource extraction, the rents that are collected from that same extraction, who gets to collect those rents, how those rents are ‘divided up’, and how those same rents are valued.
Further, I will repeat what was said above, that is, “It will be a monetary windfall for any lawyer involved in the deliberately orchestrated legal and political separatist clusterf##k.” For additional background refer to the following:
“Treaty Land in Alberta: Legal Rights, Sovereignty Risks & Real Estate Impact”
https://www.startritehomes.com/post/treaty-land-in-alberta-legal-rights-sovereignty-risks-real-estate-impact
UN declarations are basically aspirational goals towards which governments can determine legislation to achieve operationally.
Flanagan is literally American, also. He’s not a Canadian, he doesn’t identify as a Canadian, and he’s spent his entire academic career trying to undermine our national project. It’s all very coincidental isn’t it.
Dr. Flanagan is a dual citizen, holding both Canadian and U.S. citizenship, according to Google’s AI, anyway. Hopefully, the Trump Administration will make dual citizens choose which country they want to be a citizen of. That would solve a lot of problems for Canadians and make a lot of Sudeten Americans go away. DJC
Not shocked he’s a paper Canadian, he’s been here a long time. I’m certainly not making a libellous accusation, but I bet if you ask him to hum the national anthem he comes out with the star spangled banner. His daughter (?) I believe (?) has had a career in the US Military.
He might fool some folks but he’s not fooling me.
Bird: Dr. Flanagan’s daughter served for 12 years in the U.S, Army, according to The Walrus. https://thewalrus.ca/the-man-behind-stephen-harper/ DJC
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the government supposed to either hold a vote in the Legislature, which is extremely unlikely, or hold a referendum within six months of the Forever Canadian application being approved? The only way they can avoid that is by calling an election, in which case all referendum questions die.
The FAS states explicitly that a referendum is a last resort, if all else fails. Why would they support a referendum on separation which they are bound to lose anyway? I think they keep the possibility alive to hold on to their base, at least until the election.
It appears that Jeffry Rath is an extension of David Parker. Both are manipulative and want Danielle Smith to do their bidding. Danielle Smith, the autocrat, obliges. I’m still looking forward to the UCP going down. The Corrupt Care scandal will be just the thing to do it.
Thank you for ringing this alarm.
The standard media’s instinct to run with separatism stories to drive their engagement, coupled with the traitorous psy-ops push messaging, has lead to a normalization of this very non-normal message in the zeitgeist.
Let’s not forget that when faced with early push pack during the AlbertaNext panels, Smith admonished Albertans to accept differing citizen opinions – and then the panel mocked those that objected.
To repeat for emphasis, separatism is not normal Alberta politics and we should be much more concerned that so many are treating it as such.
@djc
I attended the August ABNDP townhall in Edmonton, where Nenshi very clearly named Smith as a separatist. That said, why has he not continued to do so on multiple platforms?
@Dave
Your 3rd paragraph is the best summary analysis of Smith I have seen. The question remains if she will be able to fool enough people in the next election, whenever it may be. Given her history, an early election call is advisable for her to lie her way to another term, but of course, her history of bad decisions tosses every thing in the air.
Personally, I think Smith is awaiting the recall petitions. I believe she has told her caucus “the bar is so high, they need enough signatures and then win a recall vote, which I can delay up to 4 months. If we actually lose 8 mla’s, I’ll just call an early election”.
Imma just put this here FYI DJC and commenters:
“Elon Musk’s sharp criticism of Canada’s healthcare system has sparked outrage after the death of a 44-year-old Indian-origin man in Edmonton. Prashant Sreekumar died of suspected cardiac arrest after waiting more than eight hours at Grey Nuns Community Hospital despite repeated complaints of severe chest pain. His family alleges negligence, delayed triage and a lack of urgency by hospital staff. The case has drawn attention from India’s foreign ministry and reignited debate over long wait times, staff shortages and medical negligence in Canada. With thousands dying each year due to medical errors, the tragedy raises serious questions about accountability and patient safety. “–news blurb from YouTube video
Indian officials are outraged as well, understandably, so.
They’re blaming *Canada*. This isn’t a Canada problem. This is a *Danielle Smith* undercutting Alberta’s healthcare problem. Hoping someone in the media points this out. Loudly.
Anyone living outside of Alberta knew what Danielle Smith was from the moment she took the stage. Her first attack on Trans rights was an attack on EVERYONE’s rights. She will not allow discussion among those she is directly affecting like your teachers and children who she took their rights to fair protest away on the conditions she has left your school system in that they must suffer through each year just for an education. One of the richest Provinces and she is forcing you to pay for your own Healthcare? She is forcing the disabled to pay more for housing? And now all these reports of her and her cowboy hat friends meeting with Trump and other countries for seperation support? C’mon Alberta you need to wake up FAST!
Danielle Smith is not just a separatist. She is the most manipulative/idiot ever to be in the Alberta Government since 1905.
Carlos: This resumes William Aberhart was no idiot. DJC
Hello Firth,
Loved your references. Our son who is a D J thought it quite clever. My guess that you are particularly an Eagles fan, too.
Haha thanks Christina, I’m glad someone noticed. I’m a music collector and amateur musician. Yes, I do enjoy The Eagles and have all their albums, as well as Genesis (obviously, I suppose). That said my number one is The Beatles. I’m also a confirmed Dead Head so a bit of variety there.
FoF
Hello DJC and fellow commenters,
I think that, unfortunately, Danielle Smith may well prevail in rural areas in an election, and that could mean another majority government for her. I very much hope that I am wrong.
I thinks it’s pretty likely the only real chance the NDP has in this coming election is “RURBAN” ridings. Seems a lot of those people want to Chuck their MLAs right now.
Rural alberta, as I’ve said before, is mostly concerned with being seen as in the club as opposed to out of it, their hearts might be changing but I doubt the old boys clubs are.
Not for nothing rural/urban ridings present a solid opportunity in this birds opinion to shift their brand away from being seen as exclusively / Urban / professional and something more friendly to working class and rural folks.
Look, (to borrow a phrase from Yankee Doodle Dani) everyone knows the NDP are actually a Center right party, if they can develop candidates in these smaller ridings who can present the UCP as the nutcases and arsonists they are, and be *well respected enough in that community folks will listen* they can start to flip some of those seats. Especially when you consider the UCP reflex to run either cronies, parachute candidates, or incompetents, there are a lot of vulnerable seats. But the NDP has to be willing to spend the money in those ridings (something they have been bad at doing), and they need to get the leadership out to those ridings to talk to those people. If it was me I would look in the faith community, the idea that the UCP, a party of heretics represents the only possible vote for religious albertans is insane, and lazy on the part of the NDP.
But first, RIGHT NOW, they need to be digging for these candidates, and or be trying to bring them into the party. I highly doubt the UCP represents a significant challenge to the urban ridings the NDP has managed to lock down in the last two decades, now it’s time to expand the base.
Posting on social media isn’t going to cut it. Calling them out in question period isn’t going to cut it. Complaining to the YELLOW, adversarial press we have in this province isn’t going to cut it. The only path to victory is MORE SEATS, and there’s not a lot of urban ones left to flip.