Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean 🇨🇦

STATEMENT ON PROVINCIAL ADDRESS The Premier of Alberta intervened to lower the threshold for getting a separatist question on the ballot. She then intervened to eliminate a review requiring the question be constitutional. She intervenes again tonight after yet another court has told the separatists to slow down and follow the law. The premier can wrap these actions in the words of democracy, but she is willfully ignoring the will of the vast majority of Albertans who want no part of this separatist conversation. The simple reality, a reality you would not find in her speech, is this: she has pushed along a question because a group has threatened to bring down her and her party if she does not. Her internal political problems have become our national crisis. The Premier asserts her patriotism. I will take her at her word, but I will remind her a patriot puts country ahead of party. A leader steers the agenda, rather than having it blindly dictated to them. An Albertan finds ways to do what’s right, not justifications for doing what’s wrong. This baffling, referendum-on-a-referendum question will do nothing to settle anything. It adds another layer of confusion. It will divide. It will distract. It will damage. I hope her government will consider how to step back from this madness before the damage to our province’s social fabric and economy is too great. Corey Hogan MP Calgary Confederation

Regarding yesterday’s speech by the Premier: 1. For those Albertans wanting a binding separation referendum in October; due to the recent court ruling, there is no legal way to hold a binding separation referendum this fall. If the simplified and binding stay/leave question had been put on the ballot it would have been struck down within a couple of weeks - and Elections Alberta would have been legally barred from including the question on the referendum in October entirely. It may take a year or more to appeal and reverse the judge’s erroneous decision, and until then, a binding referendum held by Elections Alberta is not legally or practically possible. You don’t have to agree with the court’s decision (I sure don’t) but that’s how our justice system works. 2. For those Albertans who don’t want a referendum at all; 700,000 Albertans signed a petition asking for a referendum on this issue and Premier Smith rightfully wants to get direction from all Albertans on this matter now - not 3 years from now. It’s time for Albertans to decide whether we want to spend time, expense and effort pursuing separation or whether Albertans want to remain, continue to work on undoing the last 10 years of horrendous Trudeau-era policies and fight for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada. We will find out on Oct 19. You will decide. Not politicians, social media clickbait farmers or media talking heads. You. That’s democracy and it’s a beautiful thing that we have it here. Again, the choice is simple. Either: 1. Vote to remain in Canada, put an end to this debate, and fight to make our province and country stronger and more unified; or 2. Vote to commence the necessary, albeit lengthy legal processes, appeals, and other steps needed to legally separate from Canada (including a binding referendum that complies with the Constitution). The choice is ours Alberta. You know where the Premier stands on this question. She made herself clear and gave her reasons why she believes Alberta remaining in Canada is worth supporting and fighting for. But what do Albertans want the next step to be? Let’s all vote on October 19, get marching orders from all Albertans and move forward with the result.

Jeffrey Rath has endorsed a plan that calls for a leadership review of Premier Danielle Smith, who must be removed for a pro-separation leader, who will then replace the current sovereignty question. The plan says this must happen before Canada finishes transforming into an authoratarian police state.

Regardless of how we all feel about Danielle's "Referendum to have a Referendum", we have to win it. So, time to get to work. I'll be doing my part. I hope you all do the same.

I’ve said this before, and I’m going to say it again, because nothing has changed. I said it about the sovereignists in Quebec. Now I’m saying it about the ones in Alberta. The federal Liberals have created more separatists than the people actually leading the separatist cause. Let that sink in. The folks running the campaign for separation could not recruit as well as Ottawa has recruited for them. They’ve handed them the best argument they’ve got. And this isn’t a fluke. It’s a pattern. When you spend ten years treating a province like a problem instead of a partner, this is what you get. Policy after policy that lands like a punch. An economy told it’s the villain of the story. You do that long enough and people stop getting angry and start getting serious. They stop complaining and start asking a different question. Would we be better off on our own? Once ordinary people are asking that out loud at the kitchen table, something has already broken. I watched this exact movie play out in Quebec. Years of Ottawa talking down to people, and the separatist numbers climbed. Now look at Alberta. An idea that used to sit on the fringe is suddenly something a real share of Albertans say they’d consider. That didn’t come from the premier. That came from a decade of being ignored. So here’s my honest suggestion to the federal Liberals. Sit this one out. Your party did enough damage over the last ten years. This is why we are where we are today. If you can’t say something positive, if all you’ve got is another shot at the premier of Alberta, then please, just stay out of it. You’ve helped enough already. 🇨🇦

There is one person who can choose whether to send Alberta down a chaotic and uncertain path. When she announces her choice tonight, do not let her shift the blame to anyone else. This is her choice.

It increases the odds of a successful "leave" vote that will be passed off as a harmless protest vote. Which then keeps the prospect of a binding referendum -- and separatism -- alive for years. Even I didn't have this on my bingo card.