“She’s playing with fire with a foreign adversary.” Political scientist, Duane Bratt in an interview with Mark Hislop
This week Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith, gave Canadians another reason not to support her pick, Pierre Poilievre, for prime minister in the upcoming federal election.
Smith met with Prime Minister Mark Carney, and issued a list of demands that “the next Prime Minister, regardless of who that is, must address within the first six months of their term to avoid an unprecedented national unity crisis.”
Let’s think about that for a moment:
The next prime minister
Right now, it’s jump ball as to who will become Canada’s next prime minister; but even if it’s Smith’s pick, Poilievre, she’s not cutting him any slack. Her message is clear: Accede to my demands within six months or face a national unity crisis.
The demands
Here are Smith’s demands:
- Guaranteeing Alberta full access to unfettered oil and gas corridors to the north, east, and west
- Repealing Bill C-69 (aka. “no new pipelines act”)
- Lifting the tanker ban off the B.C. coast
- Eliminating the oil and gas emissions cap, which is a production cap
- Scrapping the so-called Clean Electricity Regulations
- Ending the prohibition on single use plastics
- Abandoning the net-zero car mandate
- Returning oversight of the industrial carbon tax to the provinces
- Halting the federal censorship of energy companies
- No export tax or restriction on Alberta’s oil and gas to the US
- No more “subsidizing other large provinces who are fully capable of funding themselves” and
- Rectifying the “federal mismanagement of Jasper and Banff national parks” which she says resulted in the Jasper wildfire and the endangering of Banff.
While it’s true that the PM and his government can repeal the federal laws and policies Smith finds objectionable, the PM cannot accede to her demand that Alberta has “full access to unfettered oil and gas corridors to the north, east, and west” without violating Section 35 (the recognition of aboriginal and treat rights) and Sections 91/92 (the division of federal and provincial powers).
Nor can the PM unilaterally allow Alberta to stop “subsidizing other large provinces who are fully capable of funding themselves” without violating Section 36(2) (equalization).
Smith may have MAGA stars in her eyes, but Canada is not ruled by an authoritarian dictator.
The threat
If the PM, whoever it may be, fails to satisfy Smith’s demands within six months there will be “an unprecedented national unity crisis” presumably triggered by Smith on behalf of Alberta.
Here’s what’s “unprecedented” about Smith’s threat. Unlike the PQ who were elected on the promise of holding a referendum on Quebec’s sovereignty, Smith never once campaigned on taking Alberta out of Confederation.
She had no mandate and does not speak for Albertans and yet she’s making demands which, if not met, she says will result in an “unprecedented national unity crisis.” Has she lost her mind?
Patriotism
Lastly, Smith’s demand that the PM agree that there will be no export tax or restriction on Alberta’s oil and gas is unpatriotic and stupid. Donald Trump started the trade war to weaken Canada’s economy so that he can force Canada to become the 51st state. The last thing a good negotiator threatened with annihilation does is take his bargaining chips off the table before the game has begun.
The ballot question
Before Smith issued her edict, there was just one ballot question: Who can best protect Canada from the threat of Donald Trump: Mark Carney or Smith’s pick, Pierre Poilievre?
Now there’s a second ballot question: Who can best protect Canada from the threat of Danielle Smith: Mark Carney or Smith’s pick, Pierre Poilievre?
Election day is April 28.
Vote wisely, Canada.
Susan on the Soapbox 
So, how did Smith’s first job application interview go while she was in Mar-a-Lago? Did the photo-op thing. How did the job interview go?
mikegklein: excellent question. What position do you suppose she was auditioning for: governor of Canada, official press secretary for Trump, Trump court jester? She’s certainly not performing very well as the premier of our province.
I’d suggest dishwasher. Smith has relevant experience.
Mike: “I’d suggest dishwasher”. You made my day!
Seems quite clear to me that she is working for a foreign country.
She has this notion that the oligarchs will take her along for the ride and or the orange tide will carry her along with them. In both instances she’s wrong. She’s disposable to both the oligarchs and the maga constituency. They’ve used her to their own ends and now, I believe her end is near.
Panama is calling Mrs. Moretta, heed the call.
bill68….Indeed.The idea that appeasement and grovelling will impress a bully is such a silly misconception. It doesn’t work on the playground and it certainly doesn’t work on the global political stage.
A couple of weeks before Smith declared that if her demands were not met she would make it her life’s work to destabilize the country, she was on Breitbart requesting foreign interference in our Federal election. Constitutionally these demands cannot be met by the Federal Government unilaterally. Smith, no doubt knows that the demands cannot be met which gives her the excuse she is looking for to fulfill her Alberta independence agenda. We can only hope the CBC or the Globe and Mail or Torstar call her out on this. We know for certain it won’t be any of the propaganda rags published in this province. What is really funny about this is the UCP are still leading in the polls.
Jaundice Eye: thanks for bringing this up. It’s all over MSM now. Front page on the Globe and Mail, etc. And now it’s become a Carney talking point. He said Trump is likely waiting to see who wins the next election before engaging in one on one conversations, he wants to see if Canadians elect “someone who, to quote Danielle Smith, is in sync with him, or someone who’s going to stand up for Canadians.” Good job, Danielle, you shot PP in the foot.
Once again Premier Smith shows her true cards. I have a question and suggestion for how I see ending this nonsense once and for all.
I think she should call a referendum with the obvious answer she is looking for. “Do Albertans want to sussed from Canada?” If I am remembering you require a 2/3 majority from the referendum for the question to win. Secondly all of the Treaties are with the Federal Government and their land has nothing to do with the Province. I seem to remember this was going to be a rather large problem when Quebec was Tackling this issue. Thirdly, would a loss not be a vote of non confidence triggering a Provincial election?
I am truly tired of her and her band of right wing idiots destroying our Provence. A time comes when you have to call their bluff. I think this might be the only way to get rid of them.
My final question is, “is she and her party not committing a form of treason?”
Good observations Robert. I too have wondered about Canada’s legal definition of Treason and Sedition.
It is clearly a form of treason but it is from the right wing and so they can get away with murder.
If this was from the left wing, the army would be out to get them.
Danielle Smith is a psycho and she needs to resign and let the rest of us run this province the way it needs to be managed.
Robert Hilton: I really like the idea of a referendum, indeed, we could have a few: How about:
(1) should Alberta trigger an “unprecedented national unity crisis” by issuing unconstitutional demands to the federal government and the rest of Canada’s provinces and territories,
(2) if no, should Alberta remove itself from Confederation by running roughshod over the Constitution and treaty rights,
(3) if no, should Danielle Smith move to the USA where she can be a podcaster and say whatever goofball thing pops into her head.
In all seriousness, this is a serious issue and I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your question, but I can say this stunt demonstrates an appalling lack of judgment.
Trying to defy the laws of Canada so she can make a deal with a foreign power who is waging an economic war on our country … sounds like treason to me. Obviously she is not thinking about the indigenous people, the people who have to live with her pipelines and tankers, or the people of Alberta or Canada. So much for #elbowsup Danielle. It’s time for everyone in Canada to vote for Canada.
How’s she doing with Alberta HealthCare? Has she fixed that yet?
Linda: you nailed it. Her policies are crippling Alberta and now she’s encouraging the US to take action she thinks will influence the outcome of the federal election. She had a job right here in this province. It would be nicer if she actually did it. This morning I was told about a kindergarten teacher who is supposed to have a maximum of 17 kids in her class. She has 38. Unbelievable.
Marlaina’s petulant demands are delusional. Her admiration for the Mango Mussolini is sickening and traitorous.
How can any Albertan listen to any of her nonsense and lies and think that she serves anyone but fossil fuel company CEOs? She could not care less about average Albertans and has nothing but contempt for the rest of Canada. At a time when we need to pull together as Canadians she is a quisling.
I hope the Corrupt Care scandal catches up to her, but I’m not holding my breath. The RCMP dithered for 7 years with Kenney and all he ended up with was a well-paid sinecure with some huge law firm.
I doubt the RCMP will investigate this at all. Even if they did they never come up with yes or no. It is always this nonsense, wishy washy solution.
Give the investigation to real police.
The Corrupt Care scandal will never be resolved. They know it and that is why these MAGA people keep pushing it. We should have a special force to quickly investigate these issue in a time frame that matters. In my opinion this is corrupt and a way to allow criminals to get away with it.
Smith adheres to the Free Alberta Strategy, one of whose authors is her right-hand man Rob Anderson. The strategy consists of ignoring and overriding Canadian laws so that Alberta may effecitvely become independent of Canada without calling a referendum which they know they would lose and without all the inconveniences of actually separating. This is what they call Alberta sovereignty. The Sovereignty Act, replacing the RCMP, the Alberta pension plan, it’s all in the document describing the Free Alberta Strategy.
It is clear that these people feel no loyalty towards Canada. I think they actually embrace Trump’s idea of annexing Canada. From their point of view, it’s another way of separating from Canada, which would simply cease to exist. I woldn’t be surprised if Smith envisioned herself as the new Governor of the State of Canada.
Goes to show us where right wing libertarianism can take a province. What is most amusing to me is that the wildest dreams of separation have materialized at the tail end of the Fossil Fuel boom. Alberta is just a few short years away from needing those equalization payments herself, so now’s the time. Let’s cut all ties with Canada!!!
We should take them seriously though….we should have taken them seriously at least 25 years ago. When times are good however, those fascist know it alls can sneak up on you….now they’re out of the closet so to speak, we’re all a bit gobsmacked.
Fossil fools Alfredo…fossil fools. We’ve most of us been there.
Good thought. Quite a few years ago a friend who was also a senior executive in an oil major said that the Mulroney Conservatives cancelled the NEP just at the point it would have started paying the industry to keep domestic oil prices high. That payment would have come directly from Canadian taxpayers. So they actually should have taken some responsibility for the 1980’s recession, particularly the oil patch recession.
Speaking of “no loyalty to Canada”, there’s this longstanding signage just outside Valleyview Alberta along Highway 43.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1zqEMbqe3AhnvY9X8
While not directly responding to the topic of Smith’s demands, I’m hoping these thoughts might be useful at this point in time –
On Being Canadian
Recent conversations with some American friends highlight why most of us Canadians wish to remain Canadian. A huge issue was the difference in our medical care. Yes, we can do better in cutting wait times for such things as knee replacement and other surgeries. We must do more to reduce wait times in the Emergency wards and to see that everyone can access a family doctor in a timely manner. Two of our friends are recently retired medical doctors and they were clear that in spite of our shortcomings, Canada has better outcomes with costs at less than half per person. They spoke of how life in so many ways revolves around getting health care and health care insurance. One couple’s retirement planning hinged on if and how they would have health care insurance. By paying $12,000 per year with a $6000 deductible, another couple was timing a second surgery to avoid an additional $6000 deductible payment in the coming year. Others worried about being denied coverage by their insurer. Many paid for insurance when it wasn’t there when they needed it. A teacher with insurance had two children recently, each costing her $12,000. Entrepreneurship is discouraged if one has employment with health care benefits. While our healthcare system is not perfect we don’t personally worry and pay out of pocket like our American friends. Additionally in Canada health care is available to all. You can be a left wing radical, a conservative convoy protester, homeless or a millionaire and be assured of receiving help at any hospital without payment. Yes, we pay in taxes. Yes, if you have the means, you can fly to the USA or go to a private clinic for faster service. Those of us whose faith calls us to care for “the least of these” and to “do unto others what you would have them do to you,” think that it means others should receive the same care as those who can afford faster service elsewhere. Yes, there is room for improvement but this is one way we care for each other and become a better society.
Discussions with our American friends continued on the issue of violence. The homicide rate in the USA is more than twice as high as in Canada. The son of our doctor friends was driving and had his car clipped by another driver as he passed. They both stopped as expected. The driver of the car who clipped him came back to his car, pointed a pistol at him and said, “You’re not going to report this, are you?” This is not an isolated case. A few years ago in Arizona I had a pistol pulled on me when I approached a driver to ask for directions. Again, this could happen in Canada but rarely do we hear of or experience such gun threats. Not only is the USA homicide rate more than twice that of Canada’s, their incarceration rate is ten times that of ours. And with private prisons, crime pays. But only to the private prison operators. It is hard to make sense of these differences without looking at the differences in our societies: individualism, inequality, racism and violence in the founding of their nation and accepted as the norm are all accentuated more in our southern neighbour. Again, we have room for improvement in all these areas but we shouldn’t allow the media in its 24 hour reporting lead us to think we are anywhere closely similar in these areas. In responding to our first nations, and in welcoming new Canadians we have a long way to go even with the TRC. But in the USA their doctrine of “manifest destiny” is quietly but firmly rooted in the consciousness of many and prevents them from seeing native Americans, hispanics, African Americans and other people of colour as equals.
Finally, our friends talked about an issue for which they are genuinely frightened and concerned. In Canada we play hockey on ice. But for them, ICE means “Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” One teacher in a suburb of Denver talked about children staying home from school for fear of being picked up by ICE. Not that they were somehow illegal but because they were of the wrong colour or because ICE could entice their parents to come forward whether they were documented or undocumented. The children are taken to military bases with or without their parents. Another teacher in a school of 400 saw half the students stay home as they feared ICE. The school in Denver had prepared “ICE kits” for their students with hygiene products and information in case they were picked up and removed from school. One can’t help thinking about the Gestapo in Nazi Germany.
We have wonderful and caring friends in the USA and met with nothing but warm hospitality by everyone we encountered on our recent trip south. But I am grateful for things that are significantly more humane in Canada and for which we can and must work for further improvement.
Years ago I read Derrick Jenson’s book, THE CULTURE OF MAKE BELIEVE…he traces American history into places most conventional narratives seldom go…and much of what I learned deeply shocked me. It is his conclusion that America has always been a fascistic country. For years in the last century many states were run by the KKK…..that is the party that got elected.
I had no idea this had been the case. Documented accounts of black lynchings….and white lynchings if you were a wobbly….acts of crowd violence that included castration….shocked and sickened me.
So much as we might want to believe that Trump is an aberration…a more thorough examination of American history might disprove that belief. What’s worse to my mind, is how their ideas of rapacious capitalism have filtered into our culture over the last 35 years of free trade capitalism.
And now that we are more dependent on them than ever….they turn on us.
Surprise, surprise. Daddy Warbucks still runs the show. His kindness to Little Orphan Anne was nothing but a right wing fantasy, used to lull the masses into believing in his possible reformation.
Thank you Danielle, for being so uncompromisingly clear.
Now all we have to hope for is that a large majority of Albertans get who the fifth column is in our midst and just maybe begin to question whether being a Petrostate is in the long run, good for democracy.
Having lived here all my working life, I know how hard it is to buck the real source of the Alberta advantage, and I don’t imagine that the petro boosters will see this threat to Canadian sovereignty any more easily than they’ve seen that the scientific reality of global warming means much of what’s left of the hydrocarbons have to stay in the ground.
In Alberta…and likely in much of the privileged west……we’re still looking for a way to have our cake and eat it too. Surely someone else is to blame for the lose-lose situation Alberta is now facing??? Surely there’s some way massive public subsidies can ‘green the grid and keep the tar flowing???
I know tar flowing is an oxymoron…….but hey!! In Alberta we’re used to achieving the impossible. If you don’t believe it, just watch Danielle help guarantee PP’s coming loss.
Or am I just dreaming in technicolour??
Having an economy overly dependent on exporting one resource has never been good for democracy. It consolidates power as naturally as gravity consolidates matter.
That is right and the consolidation of matter goes on until it either explodes or creates a black hole.
It is not very difficult to see the Black Hole these people are creating.
Alberta Advantage which use to mean an average salary level 17% above the rest of Canada along with relatively cheap housing and cost of living has now been transformed with average salary below the average in the rest of Canada and never mind not having doctors and housing anymore.
I am not sure how they managed to built a MAGA cult but they did and we better stand up before Danielle Smith becomes a Governor.
I think we forgot that monocultures grown for export were mostly slave plantations, set up in the new world to bring wealth back to the Mother country.
Any prosperous democracy produces for itself first……and trades the excess with other democracies who have different excesses. But we have to take responsibility for where we are (we all do). Neoliberal capitalism convinced a lot of city folk that EXPORT, writ large, was the road to Wealth.
It isn’t…..its the road to over dependence on a few products and their middle men. Imagine how better it might be for canola farmers now, if instead of taxing Chinese EV’s, we’d agreed to buy a few thousand of them???
We haven’t begun to disentangle export economies from dependencies that make corporate blackmail profitable….though I did read that one reason our sanctions on Russia haven’t been as successful as we hoped, was that they’d gone less far down the “export everything of value” road…………and still made quite a bit of what they needed in Russia.
But I doubt we’ll read any of that ‘bad news’ in our local msm…they faithfully repeat the reductive ad absurdium beliefs of global ‘free’ trade.
That wasn’t what the slogan Alberta Advantage meant. It meant low taxes, especially corporate taxes. It was intended as an invitation for corporations to come to Alberta.
Social media and corporate consolidation of the media means propaganda has no borders.
Since when is Canada a country, whose politicians, issue demands? I thought Canada was a democratic country and I thought that included all the provinces. I do not live in Alberta so I may not be fully aware of her type of politics but I didn’t think we were going to follow Trump down the rabbit hole.
Unity, discussions and deals are usually discussed and worked out. Please don’t lower yourself to the standards that have recently to unfold in the US.
Rose, right now just consider yourself lucky that you are not in Alberta.
Just to be able to control the anger these people are creating is enough to throw anyone into a deep depression.
Her list of demands is just from a person that lives in a parallel universe. I would even venture to say that some very serious mental issue is at play here.
Wow, that’s intense. I can only imagine how Americans would feel if California or Texas governors made demands like that.
Thanks SusanI’m pleased to see the comments!John
/As a former executive member of the Alberta PC Party I can categorically say that Danielle Smith does NOT speak for me. I left the party when she rose up as Leader and I haven’t supported it in any way since – and will not.
Since I first saw it reported yesterday I’ve been following the story of Danielle Smith’s interview with Breitbart earlier this month where she admits to encouraging U.S. officials to alter their foreign policy, specifically requesting that they pause tariffs on Canada until after our federal election in order to improve Pierre Poilievre’s polling numbers and thereby increasing his chances of winning the election. I have no idea whether or not this meets the legal definition of treason (it certainly fits my own personal understanding of the term) but it seems obvious that she was encouraging a foreign power, one that is currently behaving in a hostile manner towards Canada, to take action that could affect the outcome of our federal election. The UCP have of course subsequently denied this, explaining as if we are dimwitted children that the words that Danielle Smith spoke don’t mean what they clearly do mean and calling the idea ‘false and offensive’ which, when properly translated means ‘true and bothersome that you found out about it’.
Anyone who feels that an offense has been committed under the Canada Elections Act, which includes the category of Foreign Interference, has the option to file a complaint with the Commissioner of Elections Canada. If the Commissioner feels a complaint is legitimate she may initiate an investigation. I don’t know what potential penalties could result from such an investigation but my feeling is that anything that makes Danielle Smith’s life more difficult is a good thing so the more complaints the better. If anyone wishes to file such a complaint here is the link:
https://www.cef-cce.ca/content.asp?document=home&lang=e
Reckless endangerment refers to a legal concept where someone acts in a way that shows a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of others, potentially causing harm. It usually involves situations where an individual knowingly takes actions that are dangerous, even if no actual harm occurs.
David Baine vectorin@telusplanet.net photographybybaine.com vectorbaine.com
This current public tantrum couldn’t have anything to do with Smith’s attempt to draw attention away from the Alberta health services scandal could it?
“Give me plastic straws or I’ll tear this country apart!” *sigh* What a mess. Smith makes sure to get a photo-op with the Orange Wonder and looks at him all googly-eyed and asks him nicely to please not tax oil and gas. With the leader of her own country she gives him a frosty meeting, refuses a photo-op, and lays down a list of demands. Then has the gall to say the demands, like guaranteeing pipelines all over the country, are reasonable. All while we’re being harassed by our one-time ally to the south and need to be as united as possible.
Almost every demand relates to the fossil fuel industry, which we are so far up the back end of we may never get ourselves out. I’m sure Smith would say she’s guaranteeing Canadian energy independence with these shenanigans, but all she’s really doing is trying to leverage a crisis for the good of her backers, meaning the fossil fuel industry and the minority of people here who would rather be American but won’t just move to their preferred country.
Carney at least should forget about looking into any of these demands. No matter what he does, he’ll be attacked here because being against the federal Liberals is ingrained in the UCP’s substance.
I just cannot believe this circus in the US along with our nuclear weapon Danielle Smith is actually happening. Only laughing makes sense of it
https://thebeaverton.com/2025/03/inside-danielle-smiths-list-of-demands-to-mark-carney/
Carlos: Americans are beginning to wake up, hopefully the same will happen in Alberta. Although Smith seems to be a little more subtle, either that or Albertans are even more dense than their American counterparts.
The UCP grand AHS objectives just keep coming up day after day.
They keep denying everything as fake news.
I just wait for the big FALL
https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/03/startling-increases-in-outsourced-surgical-costs-tend-to-corroborate-claims-of-contract-irregularities-made-by-fired-ahs-ceo-parkland-study/
Carlos: I have a couple of doctor friends who are utterly appalled. They’re views are reflected in the comments I see on Twitter from Drs Meddings, Parks, et al.
Is it not so enjoyable to listen to all the promises during election campaigns. So both the Liberals and the Conservatives are going to lower taxes, forget about the GST when buying a new home, extend unemployment insurance to help with the tariff war, help all the business that will go down, and whatever else. It is going to be paradise on earth. Interestingly enough not one word on who will pay for all of this. No worries that is why we have grand children. Not one word about major deficits.
I have nothing against helping people but as much as we would like to think that money is unlimited and that somehow we can make it grow , we all know that is not reality and that we may escape the sacrifices but someone else in the future will not be able to.
Well at least now people will not be blaming the Baby Boomers alone.
Carlos: agreed. What is proposed and how are we going to pay for it. The Liberals are putting out their costing program this weekend. Still waiting for PP and Singh.
There she is, happy as a rabbit again on a vacation paid by the great citizens of this province. Of course, the objective is to elect a Canadian government as close as possible with the lunacy in the US. Danielle Smith lives in the same circles as the MAGA cult in the US and prophet Trump. Read the article and I am sure you will wonder how is it that we pay to have someone brainwashed to become a colony of the Unites States.
She is really brilliant. I have no words to express the geniuses of this idiot. It is truly remarkable that a person can be so delusional.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/03/27/news/danielle-smith-ben-shapiro-prageru-fundraiser
Carlos: reminds me of the spell Trump cast on his own supporters. Seems to me politicians like this can inflict an awful lot of pain before they’re called to account.
The Alberta Advantage on display. This is the money they cut so our princess can be having vacations with Shapiro, Trump and O’Reilley in Mar-a-Lago.
God I cannot wait to get over this horrible time in our history
https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/04/publicly-shamed-alberta-drops-plan-to-deny-free-popsicles-juice-boxes-and-water-to-kids-recovering-from-cancer-treatments/
Carlos: this one took my breath away.
This is unreal and where is Danielle Smith and her complaints against the Federal government?
This is giving the very rich extra pocket money. It is a scandal and nothing ever changes this. Imagine renewal energy had this kind of subsidy?
https://www.biv.com/news/canadas-oil-and-gas-industry-received-296b-in-subsidies-in-2024-report-finds-10478673
To me this is a crime and completely unnecessary.
Carlos: the article made the point that the Trump tariff threat will likely result in even more subsidies to the energy sector, seems to me we should consider the impact of Trump tariffs as part of the bigger picture: ie what does responsible energy production (on a national and international level) look like. We need leaders who are prepared to involve experts in sorting through this issue–like Notley did when she first came to power–as opposed to politicians who spout three word slogans and pretend they’ve got the solution.
I hope Susan is having a good rest.
I just have this article that I had to post for those that think that Pierre Poilievre is a possible choice.
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025/04/17/Skippy-Wants-Shatter-CBC/
I agree 100% and more with this article that does not include Skippy’s beer times with White Nationalists and other of the same kind during the Convoy.
Carlos, thanks for the link. I watched the French and English debates and found his performance chilling. His argument that the preemptive use of the “notwithstanding clause” is constitutional was slippery (to say the least). I can only hope that in the coming week, nothing happens to save him from what looks like an ignoble end.