It is a truth universally acknowledged that virtually no one, with the possible exception of the American porn star Stormy Daniels, has ever benefited from a relationship with Donald Trump.
This axiom is likely to apply to Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith, who raced off to Mar-a-Lago a year ago to be at the U.S. president’s side, as well as the de facto separatist wing of this province’s United Conservative Party, the so-called Alberta Prosperity Project.
At least, the middle of the deadly occupation of Minneapolis by the reconstituted Army of the Confederacy was probably not the ideal moment for U.S. President Donald Trump’s “underhanded and sleazy” Treasury Secretary to weigh in on Alberta separatism, when self-appointed Alberta separatist leaders have been claiming they’re holding secret talks with high officials in the Trump Administration about quick diplomatic recognition in the event Alberta unilaterally declares independence.
Clearly Scott Bessent had been briefed by someone when he started bloviating on Alberta politics during a right-wing TV show south of what we used to call the longest undefended border in the world.
“I think we should let them come down into the U.S.,” Mr. Bessent opined last week, referencing a “rumour that they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not” and falsely claiming that Ottawa “won’t let them build a pipeline to the Pacific.”
It would be interesting to know where he picked that up. Mr. Bessent may be “truly vile, like the rest of the Trump crew, despite the Wall Street polish,” observed Nobel economics laureate Paul Krugman in a recent Substack, but “unlike virtually all other Trump cabinet members, Bessent isn’t a fool.” So it’s probably safe to assume that he knows he’s lying.
Regardless of what the APP’s leaders say, it’s widely understood here in Wild Rose Country that if you scratch an Alberta separatist you’ll usually find a 51st stater.
So a moment when the still-unfolding crisis in the Gopher State appears to be close to the domestic equivalent of DEFCON 2 is probably not the best time for the APP to be putting on a full-court press to persuade Albertans that a step toward U.S. statehood would be just peachy and we should all start using the U.S. dollar.
Despite much publicized and possibly staged lineups to sign the APP referendum petition in rural Alberta, one would think most sane Albertans would say no thank you to the opportunity to become part of the violent shitshow next door.
Naturally, this didn’t stop a UCP-friendly political columnist for the U.S.-owned Postmedia newspaper chain from cheering on Mr. Bessent and the local separatists.
But it may explain why Premier Smith took to the radio waves yesterday to try to persuade Albertans that while she’s done everything humanly possible to ensure the APP’s unconstitutional referendum question can get on a ballot, she’s not really a separatist like many of her caucus, cabinet and party officials.
“When I talk to people who are frustrated with the way we’ve been treated for the past 10 years, they don’t say, therefore, I want to be an American state,” she told the host of her Your Province, Your Premier radio program, which is basically an advertising platform for the UCP provided by Corus Entertainment. “That is not what I am hearing. They want a new relationship with Canada, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m forging a new relationship with Canada.”
It’s important to remember, though, that Ms. Smith’s definition of provincial sovereignty is simply not possible in a united Canadian federation because it would elevate Alberta to the status of a super-province with the right to ignore federal legal jurisdiction and the territorial jurisdiction of other provinces.
So that dog won’t hunt. This may explain the urgency the premier obviously feels to ensure a separatist referendum is on the ballot, opening the door the deluge of foreign-funded disinformation and manipulation that is already starting. And this would include Mr. Bessent sticking his oar in.
As for what the separatists have in mind for an independent Alberta, take a look at The Edmonton Journal’s recent report of what was said at a recent APP townhall in Didsbury, population 5,000, 80 kilometres north of Calgary.
Brexit redux? Only worse. God help us!
Oh, the gullible, naive traitors. They should talk to the people of Greenland, who are well aware of what awaits if the US invades. Or they could simply look to Minnesota, where standing outside a doughnut shop can get you killed by the US government in the most horrific way. This is how the US treats its own (white) citizens. What do they think is in store for citizens of a conquered territory? An independent Alberta would find itself immediately without a military and with no tax dollars for such things.
Their separatist 51st state dreams are flimflam. They’re welcome to wander the streets of Minneapolis for a taste of their dystopian future (not doughnuts; the shops are closed for Kristallnacht). How do you like being a slave in a vassal state, or maybe shipped to the arctic where the cold will kill you if the polar bears don’t eat you first. If Canada is on the menu, independent Alberta would be the appetizer.
It’s really amazing how stupid so many older Albertans are. While they complain they have been wronged by the Liberals in Ottawa, none of them seem to remember that it was Stephan Harper and Jason Kenney that were the ones that sold Alberta down the road and slashed federal transfer payments to Alberta, before Justin Trudeau came along. The other thing if Alberta separates all those old people will no longer get the Canada Pension they rely on. Like many many others, if Alberta separates we will be moving to a Province within Canada.
Yes, the fools from the south seem to want to meddle in our politics. Our mainstream media is so outraged when the Chinese try meddle, but at least so far not much outrage about this. Double standard?
I agree, whether they say or realize it or not, the likely destination for our separatists is the US. Although perhaps some haven’t thought it through that far yet, they and others are useful idiots for those that have. US has a history of supporting independence movements in nearby places then taking them over some years later.
I don’t know why he is there, but Bessent is actually one of the more competent guys on Trump’s ship of fools, so what he says should be taken very seriously. Although his colleagues efforts to turn the US into an ICE police state is not going over well with many in the US now. I feel even our Premier realizes we really don’t want to join this mess. So it is back to her downplaying this and being a closet separatist again for now.
I am surprised that the parts of our media not US controlled allows her to continue to get away with this equivocation. However, I suppose if we can learn anything from the political cult to our south, their supporters are very good at ignoring or dismissing anything that does not fit their ideology. It is not just the increasing police state that is the problem, but all the obvious lies and misstatements being put out to build and support it. I feel this will not end well, although their leader will likely not ever be held to account, probably because of age and health issues he will be gone before then. However, those who enabled all of this probably will be.
@Dave:
Funny how when we only had two-three American TV channels, pretty much equal to Canadian channels, and the rest of our media were all Canadian-owned instead of belonging to a few American oligarchs how much smarter and more coherent Canadian politics, were…on all sides of the aisle.
One thing I’m grateful for with Carney. He refuses to do politics by tweet. Tweeting by politicians has to be the worst thing that’s happened in political discourse since the Romans decided that assassinating senators you disagree with constituted a plausible voting strategy.
Chinese/Indian meddling is the least of our problems. Nobody has the plain guts to say, “We don’t have self-defence capabilities because the USA *forbade* us to have any missiles or weapons that could possibly reach past their borders. Ever. We went along with it for the sake of peaceful relations.” The USA has been meddling in our affairs and using us as their war machines’ resource mule for decades while paying us less for our resources than they were worth on an open market. Their media meddled in our politics consistently for four decades, at least.
Let’s just name it, admit we played along to get along due to geographical ease regardless of the right or wrong we both committed and move forward.
Some Albertans think they can wind the clock back to Leave It To Beaver. The world doesn’t work that way. The historical ignorance of the USA grates because they do not realise that every Empire in history was chock full of citizens that were not descended from the original empire-builders. They’re too uneducated to know that all great civilisations comprised of many, many different people from many different lands and/or cultures due to trade relationships and that same ignorance has rubbed off on those Albertans who are living in the same delusion.
At this point, it wouldn’t matter if Trump died tomorrow. The American Empire has been building towards this conclusion since its inception. “In the birth of all Empires lie the seeds of their own destruction.”
We just need to find ways to not go down with them or be caught in the tidal wave as they self-destruct.
Alberta can thank us, later.
Sorry to whinge but “on all sides of the aisle” is an Americanism. The House does not have an “aisle” between parties. The floor in the original House of Commons in London was rumoured to be wide enough to prevent swordplay during debates. No idea if it’s true but it’s a good legend.
jrkrideau: I think we can live with “on both sides of aisle.” After all, it is a metaphor that could apply as easily to many families’ weddings as much to a given legislative chamber. It’s not nearly as irritating as “inside the beltway,” which is a specific Washington geographical reference. Be that as it may, the distance between the sides of the House of Commons at Westminster is said to be two-and-a-half sword lengths, for the reason you describe. DJC
OK, as long we drop the “Mr. Prime Minister” nonsense.
A few weeks ago David made an aside comment in one of his columns that really resonated with me, and I really think deserves more focus.
Given the view of guns that the UCP has, it is all but certain that the constitution of a new Republic of Alberta will include the right to bear arms. Furthermore, given the comments Danelle Smith made at the UCP AGM, the Republic will likely have stand your ground laws as well.
Given the opportunity, even if the Republic does not become the 51st state, we will inherit the worst part of being American anyway.
Definitely. The 2022 Coutts blockade was just a sampler. If you went down a rabbit hole into the connections between convoyers and friends, some of those people had the right to bear arms first and foremost. A court case proved that some took matters, and guns, into their own hands. There was also a big boss whose identity never became public. I do not doubt that there is already a pathway in place to make that happen. The spiders have spiderwebs. They’re laying eggs. Will the spiders turn on us?
@Abs and Bob R
What the Coutts blockade proved (take notes CAF) we how *susceptible* any USA troops arriving here would be to cutting off their supply lines should they choose to invade. And how to siege Canada, should they wish.
Don’t think someone in the Pentagon didn’t take notes on that if they didn’t outright orchestrate most of it.
ICE is just the latest iteration of the same old patty-rollers. Of course the chud brigade in Alberta are enthralled.
Anybody in their right mind is horrified. Three innocent Minnesotans shot dead in a week. Hundreds more, maimed and injured. Everyone terrified. The feds then using that force to blackmail their state demanding the governor hand over the voting roles and all social services info.
Bessent, like Alberta can just STFU already. Alberta *can’t* secede without violence and for all their bluster if the USA with their revolutionary fervour won’t rise up against their fascist overlords, Alberta is even less likely to rise up against the feds because they’re annoyed. Again.
If some want to pack up their sh*t and move south to live in Trump’s dictatorship then by all means, have at it, hoss. I’m sure you can get a free ride to the border.
If they actually cared about Alberta, they’d stay here and instead of endlessly whinging– duke it out with the feds like every other activist/politician, from every other province, must.
Lazy sods.
Given the outlook of most of the people who make comments on David’s blog, this comment is definitely preaching to the converted, but at the same time there have been enough separatists weighing in in the comments section that we know this website is visited by separatists. On the off chance they read other people’s comments, this is for them.
Regardless of whatever thoughts they may have on climate change, there is no denying that there are a lot of really smart scientists working really hard to get our world off of burning fossil fuels. Moreover, with the development of renewable power sources, and other technologies, they are closer to getting us off fossil fuels than they were 25 years ago.
If separatists can accept that there is at least a possibility that the scientists might succeed in there quest to get us off of fossil fuels, I would then encourage proponents of leaving Canada to take another look at their grievances to see how many of them would still be relevant in a fossil fuel free world.
Can’t build a pipeline? Irrelevant. All the existing pipelines are stranded assets.
Equalization payments? In the absence of oil royalties Alberta would now be in a position to receive them.
Clean fuel standards? Tanker ban in Northern BC? Net zero regulations? All of them made redundant if we are off fossil fuels.
Given how long it would take to actually separate after a successful referendum, it really isn’t hard to imagine Alberta leaving Canada just as we start to really need it.
But at least we could have our plastic straws back.
Racism/white supremacy is a big hook for these APP guys to get Albertans on board with their separation idea, and usually that dog whistle stays fairly quiet. Naturally any promises of increased “prosperity” (for white people) thrown in with that looks pretty attractive, and a generous sprinkle of “freedom” (again, for whites only) serves up a tempting dish for that rural/small town demographic the UCP has managed to capture. How many of them realise they would lose their CPP and OAS, and not be eligible for any kind of private health insurance, not to mention bigger practical issues like currency, passports, and the fact the first group, behind corporations and banks, to pull out of a so-called independent Alberta would be the Armed Forces. There are other major issues that many have raised, and as you mention what’s going on in the U.S. has got to be scary for them as well. Therefore, in my long-winded harangue, the APP turns up the volume on the racism channel. And Danielle Smith sprinkles her magical fairy dust all around, saying we’ll separate, but not separate, hoping this will reassure the lemmings she is coaxing over the cliff. But even people with tinfoil hats don’t have to have a great imagination to see a disturbing parallel between Smith’s desire for her own private police force and the death squads of Trump’s ICE roaming the streets of America’s cities. And you know these guys aren’t being recruited from West Point. The first ones to line up for that job here in Alberta would be the Convoy guys, who occupied Ottawa for near a month, and the goons who closed the border at Coutts with their stash of weapons and pipe bombs- ready to do battle with the Mounties. They must be envious as hell, looking at those masked marauders kidnapping babies, terrorizing communities, hauling away immigrants, and shooting liberal snowflakes willy-nilly and getting away with it. So yeah, that. Even the people of Didsbury have TVs and High-speed internet, now too and are looking at that aptly-called shit-show south of us and saying, “Yeah, no. Maybe not”.
“I’ve gained a stronger understanding into what divine destiny awaits me,” he added.
“I will continue to help others spreading truth, happiness and joy. Unifying people together by using love as my solemn weapon.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/coutts-blockade-protesters-sentencing-sept-9-1.7317350
“Divine destiny”? “Truth”, unification and “love as my solemn weapon”, but just in case, actual weapons?
Who would form Alberta ICE? Let’s hope those AB border patrol Blackhawk helicopters spotted at night in the skies over Lethbridge don’t get turned on us. To quote the late, great John Belushi, “I hate Illinois Nazis.”
Honestly, having read the seperafools manifesto (https://albertaprosperityproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Proposed-Policies-and-Governance-of-the-Sovereign-Nation-of-Alberta-Draft-Mater-Document-Feb-17-2022.pdf) – Valium and Gravol recommended – really, none of this is a surprise.
I hope one day for the opportunity to ask either Slyvestre or Rath “why are you still a Canadian citizen resident in Alberta?”. They could everything they want just by moving south of 51’40”. Is it selfishness? Do they want to keep their livelihoods & homes unchanged, but to be Americans, they need Alberta to join the excited states?
Brokers in the sale of Alberta? Your wish is my commish? If so, they’d be gone when the deal is done, off to the safety of a gated condo community in Panama, or some such. That $50M or $500B or whatever today’s fantasy figure is won’t spend itself. Take the money and run!
There’s nowhere to hide, gents. Ask Ryan Wedding. Someone will always be ready to turn on you or turn you in for personal gain.
Thanks for the link. I was terribly impressed to see that the first sentence of the Preamble was plagiarized from the first sentence of the second paragraph of the US Declaration of Independence.
Overall things did not improve as I went through the text Then they plagiarized the same damn sentence again in the body of the the document. Pity they did not try for Magna Carta as well.
Selfishness and greed. The only separation happening is rubes from their money.
It is not unexpected that Rick Bell writes slop because if he didn’t he would be out of a job. No doubt, Mitch Syvestre owes a huge debt of gratitude to West of Centre’s Kathleen Petty for allowing him to extoll the virtues of Alberta separation/51st statehood in a 20 minute unchallenged piece of propaganda last Friday. Mind you, Petty did throw a couple of fluff balls his way that he knocked out of the park. He was prepared, she was amateurish. It reminded me of Poilievre and the apple eating interview. As an aside, when did journalism decide that both sides of a story are equally valid?
The WoC’s host has clearly needed to get”ears” to her podcast/radio show. It has consistently defended much of the Albertan right-wing perspectives as valid, just unsophisticated. Even Janet Brown’s survey data is presented as important insight to Albertans.
Look who never, rarely, or once-only is invited to the show: a confession by omission.
Hello DJC and fellow commenters,
I don’t think that the events in Minneapolis will discourage potential separatists from wanting to be part of the U S. Rick Bell seems quite keen on supporting Danielle Smith and the inappropriately named Alberta Prosperity Project in their drive to join the U S. ICE is pursuing “immigrants” who may not be “white”, and the deaths of others are collateral damage, in their view. The attitude towards those who are not white and, generally, Christian displayed by the separatists described in the article you linked to, seems to be consistent with the attitude of Donald Trump and, correspondingly, ICE.
It is surprising to me that, even though Donald Trump has made it obvious that his only interest in Alberta is the natural resources, especially water, but also lumber, oil, and possibly some minerals, the separatists seem to think that the U S will treat Albertans as equals. The separatists obviously haven’t studied Haiti, for example, where Haitians as seen primarily as cheap labour. Little has been done to help Haitians after devastating natural disasters. It seems obvious to me that Albertans will be treated similarly and our resources will be grasped by U S with little thought for actual Albertans. I suppose that Alberta will also be refuge from the effects of a warming world and the fires and drought that go along with it.
I would like to add a little to the comment of Alan K Spiller on your previous column that health care will cost about $24,000 if we become American. Actually, based on information in a healthcare corporation website for retirees of a specific large employer, the cost for healthcare plus travel insurance for a retired couple aged 65, is $35,000 U S per year. That is approximately $37,000 Canadian. The co-pay (the portion that the insured pay) is also 20% for most health care services and items up to a certain maximum. So, health care could easily reach $40,000 Canadian for ordinary health care such as dentist visits, physiotherapy, hearing aids etc. etc. This is more than the income of many Canadians income before taxes.
As you and others have also pointed out, Donald Trump has used parallel or actual language used by the Nazis, a totally shocking situation. Further, Donald Trump, his family, and his cabal clearly view elected office to be a mode of personal enrichment. Echoes of Putin and his inner circle and many other dictators, perhaps? Donald Trump seems to see the citizenry as a source of wealth – the citizenry is expected to live with less so that the rich can accumulate more and more of the national wealth. I find it absolutely astounding that these separatists who are lining up to sign the petition think that joining the U S is a good idea. One has to wonder what the benefit will be for those spearheading this idea.
Stormy and Danny -two of a kind!
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/407-west-of-centre/episode/16193872-alberta-destination-separation
Best interview I’ve heard with one of the referendum leaders, Mitch Sylvestre, although he is one of the more “moderate” and articulate ones – i.e. willing to talk to CBC, and undoubtedly tailoring message to its listeners.
What’s clear is that they don’t have a clear vision for the “day after” and supporters span a wide range from 51st staters, white nationalists, and anti-vaxxers to pissed-off farmers and oil workers stuck in “F… Trudeau” mode (some stuck there since the ‘70s). 40 minutes
Kathleen Petty handled him perfectly, and it’s followed by a good discussion with Toronto Star’s Alex Boyd and pollster Janet Brown. They point out the danger that low turnout in a referendum vote could lead to a Brexit-type disaster even if only 30 percent of electorate supported it. Polls could inspire false confidence on the No side.
I found Sylvestre’s easy dismissal of Indigenous rights and treaties particularly revealing (and disturbing). “The feds will still pay them” – really? In wampum? Danny Bucks? USD?
And there are small matters like passports, tidewater access, federal property, military bases, national parks, highways, railways, pipelines, power grids, etc etc etc
What disturbed me most about that interview was Sylvester’s response on the apparent lack of ethnic diversity in the crowds at their events. He said, “[Old] stock white Canadians, that’s us, and we don’t have to apologize for this room being filled with white people. This used to be what Alberta was, we’re not apologizing for being ourselves.” and “I don’t think we have to apologize for having white Christian people or anybody come to our events. It should be looked at for what it is.” This kind of talk suggests he has a white pointy hood and bedsheet in one of his clothes closets.
He also misstated history in his reference to Alberta becoming a province: “Well, I think people in Alberta are signing the petition because this is a long-time grievance. I mean, people were complaining about our relationship with Ottawa since, you know, the early 1900s when we signed on to this deal.” This is a misstatement of history. Alberta never “signed on to” anything: it was a creation of an 1905 Act of Parliament that carved it out of the NWT.
Danielle Smith needs to tell Dennis Modry of the Alberta Prosperity Project that he did not say, “Where there would be a possibility for Trump to achieve his objective of Canada as a 51st state is in Alberta,” when interviewed by the New York Post.
https://www.aol.com/meet-canadians-over-moon-prospect-123000089.html
While she’s at it, she could tell Peter Downing of former Wexit fame that he did not say, “We want to be the 51st star on the flag.”
As for the billboards advocating that Alberta leave Canada? Remember what George Orwell said in “1984”: “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/bowden-51st-state-billboard-1.7468264
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-separatist-billboards-1.5025437
It’s six years too late for Premier Smith to suggest that these things didn’t happen. We saw them with our own eyes. We heard what these people said with our own ears. We believe what these people said every time they said it. There is no doubt all that these separatists want to leave Canada and join the US. The record stands. Speaking of records:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/would-you-please-rise-for-the-playing-of-alberta-bound-singer-paul-brandt-teases-support-for-separatist-movement/
Apparently one of the absolutely unhinged things by that traitorous weasel who head the APP is that Christianity will soon be ILLEGAL in Canada. While it’s not only ridiculous on its face to suggest a country who’s entire history of confederation comes down to a battle between Catholics and Protestants, both Christian religions from what I remember from an early lifetime of intense indoctrination.
The thing that struck a chord with me is how long (I’m in my fourth decade) these people have been saying this. I can remember people saying this regularly within the evangelical community going back to the eighties. I can remember a particular church service in high school where the pastor was mock arrested as a propaganda tool, and we were instructed that this day was coming in Canada, and we better be ready for it. This dovetailed very closely with the “she said yes” columbine martyrdom cottage industry that spread like wildfire through the evangelical church in the 90s pushed in part by the massive “focus on the family” political machine based in Colorado Springs, a city ringed with military bases, intelligence services, and high level military industrial companies.
They’ve been working this program for an incredibly long time, and say what you will about evangelicals, they have a persecution complex that borders on pathological, despite a core belief that they alone should be the arbiters of other peoples behaviour.
Nothing is more dangerous than a zealot with an axe to grind, reality doesn’t factor into their decisions.
Thank you for filling in the backstory for my oft repeated claim that the insensate hatred of Prime Minister Trudeau was about abortion. The creepazoid evangelicals are so walled off from the rest of Canada that most people don’t have any understanding of just how depraved they are. I don’t think it’s possible to understand what’s happening in this country without an informed appreciation of their destructive role of their evil intent.
Watching the USA teetering on the brink of civil war probably does not help the Alberta Prosperity Project.
Of course for those 51st Staters in Alberta, what makes them think Alberta would become a state? It seems more likely they would get unincorporated territory of the United States status as I believe both Puerto Rico and Guam among other US colonies have.
This means no voting representation in Congress or the Senate and, from what one has seen in Puerto Rico no real local control as the US Gov’t can do things like install a trusteeship on a whim.
I am not sure a transition from Canadian province to US colony would be a great improvement.
@jrkrideau
Just wait until Alberta finds out it isn’t *them* the USA wants in the first place.
What they want is A) unfettered access to Alaska and the arctic and B) Saskatchewan’s potash for their agri-farming as they’ve destroyed nearly all the self-sufficient, smaller farming communities.
Alberta is just full of the useful idiots they’re using to get those.
Maybe the USA can deport those illegal residents back to their native Canada?
The separatist leaders and their online cheerleader squad are a bunch of grifters. It’s all about how many clicks they can generate and how much money they bank at the end of the day. (Notice how they pass the hat at every one of their petition rallies. Where’s that money going?) What really disgusts me is how they frame themselves – and their separatist cause – as Christian. No one can watch the videos from Saturday’s murder in Minneapolis, approve of ICE’s actions and call themselves Christians. They’re not walking in Jesus’ footsteps. My cat is a better Christian.
Rob anderson tweeted recently that he was for the sovereign Alberta in unified Canada view which is complete hogwash. He and Smith are filthy liars and traitors.
See Don Braid’s 2023 column about how Smith admires US politicians DeSantis and the murderous lying Kristi Noem. Maybe Smith likes to watch people expressing the hostility she has to keep hidden; also probably why she hires vicious arrogant people like Anderson and Spanky McAllister.
Anyone who signs the separation papers should relinquish their Canadian passport at the time of signing. Put a basket on the signing table and drop them in there.
I think that Trump’s comments about Canada’s poor showing in Afghanistan may also not sit well with even the separatists or the separatist inclined. I am also wondering if Boss Hogg Rath is familiar with the Clarity Act and has plans to handle it. Or is he going to wing it with another 25 page manifesto?
Dave… thank you for reporting on the ridiculous separatist noise, but as an aside, I find it an offensive cheap shot to use Stormy Daniels (including her picture) as the butt of a tasteless joke in this piece. I recently saw an interview with Stormy Daniels that indicated that contrary to your hypothesis, she and her 14-year-old daughter are in receipt of a barrage of vicious messages from Trump supporters, threatening to rape and murder both of them. She is perhaps paying a higher price than most for any connection with Trump.
Duly noted. DJC
If there was some electronic means of counting the number of people in the top photo shown on this specific blog, I doubt that there would be hundreds shown. It doesn’t look like an exceptional turnout. Among those seen, there seems to be an older crowd, and seniors present. Now, we see Danielle Smith being two faced, and trying to distance herself from the separatists. Quite the sudden turnaround, when she supported Jeff Rath’s goals all along. Given the sheer brutality we have witnessed in the United States, as of late, this is not something any sensible person would want to associate themselves with. As I was getting some things in a convenience store, I saw Sun newspapers on display with Danielle Smith on the front cover claiming she supports Canada. Her propaganda arm is still present, trying their hardest to defend her. Alas, they will only be able to do that for not much longer. The ending for the UCP will be the corruption they are involved with.
Anonymous: To be fair, that photo doesn’t show the entire crowd. While I wasn’t at the meeting, I can say that because there were other photos that appeared with The Canadian Press story in another publication. It is possible from those shots of the lineup to sign inside and outside the building to estimate the number of people at the meeting at about 140, including numerous children too young to vote. This is not to say there were not a lot of people at the meeting, possibly more, but only that the characterization of “hundreds” in the credulous headline is likely far too high. DJC
If you look up POST MEDIA, you’ll find that the majority of Canadian newspapers are owned by them. From the Calgary Sun, Calgary Herald, even the the High River Times. Post Media is an American right wing company. Be careful what newspaper, support! As a side note, Mel Hurtig’s , book “The Vanishing Country, is it too late to save Canada” is the most maddening and scariest book I’ve ever read and with politicians like Smith we will continue to lose everything Canadian!
I went to the PostMedia site and downloaded the entire list of their publications there.
They report owning 119 publications including
National Post, National, Canada,
Financial Post, National,Canada,
The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver,British Columbia,
Edmonton Examiner, Edmonton,Alberta,
Edmonton Journal, Edmonton,Alberta,
Edmonton Sun, Edmonton,Alberta,
Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan,
Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa,Ontario,
Ottawa Sun, Ottawa,Ontario,
Toronto Sun, Toronto,Ontario,,
Montreal Gazette, Montreal,Quebec,
Telegraph-Journal, Saint John,New Brunswick,
The Daily Gleaner, Fredericton,New Brunswick,
The Guardian, Charlottetown,Prince Edward Island,
Annapolis Valley Register, Annapolis Valley,Nova Scotia,
The Chronicle Herald, Halifax,Nova Scotia,
The Telegram, St. John’s,Newfoundland & Labrador,
We have nothing to worry about with regards to foreign ownership or media concentration
A more complete list is found here: https://www.postmedia.com/brands/ DJC
Yes, that’s the one I used. I forgot to link it.
Where is CSIS and the CSE? Secession is the kind of thing that gets lots of people killed, so where are the national security instruments of the state?
@Murphy
They’re busy chasing around anti-poverty activists, environmentalists and Native protesters, around. Y’know, the people with an actual point to make that just want the government to take their concerns seriously.
Can’t waste resources on rooting out actual sedition when they’re in bed with the five eyes, including the CIA. Can someone explain to me why we’re co-operating with the deep state of country that wants to invade us?
Has anyone seen a thing else with regard to the “hundreds” of people lining up in Rural alberta being staged? When I heard it it sounded a lot to me like poor organization, but these folks often fool a lot of people with their Astro turfing. It’s easy to pack a single town hall to make it feel like the whole world is behind you, those small town folks don’t get out much.
I also wonder if some of the dimbulbs have understood that they can only sign it once. I hope somebody carefully checks the signatures for duplicates and fakes.
I believe separatists could have gone to more than one of those fake town halls.
Also when some separatist claims they love Canada, but… we need to challenge them, it sounds like a fake talking point to me.
Yes by all means seperate. It will be an experience. Given what is going on in the U.S.A. I along with a lot of other Canadians don’t venture into that country. It isn’t just about making a political statement, its about safety. Being scooped up by ICE AND placed in a detention centre is not a good experience. You could die and it could be exceedingly difficult to get out. ICE appears to be above the law.
European descent Albertans would like it to go back to the way it was? Are you out of your minds. When I was a kid things were not great for women and children in Canada. If you were female and your husband decided to beat you or your children up, that was family business. No shelters, no counselling, no support if you were abused. Rape victims–its your own fault, no abortion rights, no government health care, Life was not great back in the day. Some used to say White makes Right but all I remember was that was only for Brits. Other Europeans could and did face racism. I remember the words they used for various ethnic groups.
Smith and co. most likely think things will improve for them but really, once you seperate the Americans will control you and could just treat you like Venezuela. Trump and his gang don’t even respect their Constitution. trump just wants to expand like other nations did from the 1400s on wards. Have a good look at history and see how European nations treated other territories they took over.
Trump is a sick man. He threatens, promotes violence, is violent. Trump has said on more than one occasion he wants/needs Greenland so he personally will feel better, not the U.S.A., him personally.
As to the Indigenous People and their land, they may simply say, we are remaining in Canada, just as some of the Quebec Indigenous People said when Quebec first started talking about seperation. I recall some of them said, their deal was with the Government of Canada, not Quebec.
If Albertans want to be American, just pack your suitcase and don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out. This country is amazing. Our babies survive at a higher rate than American babies.
The Premier follows the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. Therefore, she keeps up her lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous. In other words, all politics is based on deception.
Because, “All this was inspired by the principle — which is quite true in itself — that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily, and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.”
In this “post truth” world the Premier is obviously trying to keep up with those individuals she idolizes such as Trump and Harper:
https://theconversation.com/why-does-donald-trump-tell-such-blatant-lies-241192
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-lies-about-coalition-details-broadbent-1.753734
So, when the Premier states that:
“I would say, when I talk to people (Canadians) who are frustrated with the way we’ve (Albertans) been treated (by Ottawa) for the past 10 years, they don’t say, therefore I want to be an American state. That is not what I am hearing.”
https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/you-need-to-have-a-pressure-release-valve-alberta-premier-says-separatists-dont-want-to-join-us/
It would seem that the statement by the Premier is an obvious and deliberate falsehood based upon the following:
“Meet the Albertan Separatists Who Want to Be American: A growing band of Canadians say their most oil-rich province should join forces with the U.S. ‘Political disruption is what this country needs.’”
https://www.thefp.com/p/meet-the-albertan-separatists-who
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/04/22/news/alberta-separation-canada-us-annexation
But then again, “politics is about constantly reframing to suit the situation”, which; should say everything that needs to be both known and stated about the political charade and all those insiders that benefit from the continuum of deceit and calculated chaos.
See, “What should Conservatives do to win back Canadians?”: CBC Radio:
The Sunday Magazine for January 25, 2026
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-magazine-for-january-25-2026-9.7058010
At about the 16 minute time stamp.
Where, “Reframing is the strategic process of altering the way an issue, situation, or message is presented to influence how it is perceived. By reframing, individuals can shift the focus, context, or meaning of a subject, prompting others to view it in a different light.”
I also wonder if some of the dimbulbs have understood that they can only sign it once. I hope somebody carefully checks the signatures for duplicates and fakes.
I believe separatists could have gone to more than one of those fake town halls.
Also when some separatist claims ‘they love Canada, but…’ we need to challenge them, it sounds like a fake talking point to me.