What Danielle Smith is still getting wrong, according to this even-tempered separatist - National Post
“I was glad to hear she’s not treating this as ‘mission accomplished,’” separatist Keith Wilson says about Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the referendum results which rejected another referendum on separation. Photo by Megan Albu/AFP via Getty ImagesArticle content“The people have spoken, I accept what they’ve said,” says Keith Wilson, co-founder of the Let Alberta Decide campaign and one of the more even-tempered advocates for Alberta independence. “And they really want, in my view, the premier to make an earnest effort at seeking fairness for Alberta. That’s how I interpret this.”
Albertans spoke clearly on Oct. 19. Roughly three-quarters of voters endorsed remaining in Canada; about one-quarter backed starting the constitutional process for a future binding separation referendum. Turnout was historic. A slight majority supported the UCP’s proposals for greater provincial control over immigration, while the constitutional questions received more mixed results that fall short of a clear mandate for rewriting Confederation.
Premier Danielle Smith’s address to the province on Tuesday was crisp: Alberta remains a province of Canada, and for as long as she is premier she will not hold another referendum on separation. The government will honour the referendum results and continue asserting provincial autonomy through political and legal channels rather than the exit ramp.
Political Hack gets at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill. Wednesdays and Fridays.
Her message to UCP members was equally direct: the next election is 12 months away (fixed for Oct. 18, 2027). Division within the party hands the Opposition New Democrats the win. The UCP is a big-tent party but not an independence party. Candidates and members of constituency association boards must support a strong Alberta within a united Canada; those who cannot reconcile and seek to turn the party into a vehicle for independence are invited to find another party. Ordinary members remain free to hold personal views.
After months of badgering, shaming and demands to purge anyone with separatist sympathies from the conservative fold, I was relieved to hear the distinction. I also wondered how it landed with those who had pushed hardest for independence.
“I was glad to hear she’s not treating this as ‘mission accomplished,’” Wilson says. “She’s treating this as she has marching orders from the voters and it’s to seek serious change in how Alberta is treated within Confederation. So that to me is very positive, and I hope for her success in that, and whatever role I can provide to help with that, I’ll do.”
