[Text/Observer Network Qi Qian] While the US-Canada trade war continues, Canada's own "backyard is on fire." Alberta Province, a major energy province and also a conservative stronghold, has long been in conflict with the federal government led by the Liberal Party over energy policies. The conflict further intensified after the Liberals won the federal election for the fourth consecutive time in April this year.

According to reports by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Global News, on May 5 local time, Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta Province, made a new statement that if the citizens of the province can collect enough signatures, she will hold a referendum on "sovereign independence" in 2026.

"The whole world sees us as lunatics," Smith pointed out, noting that Alberta Province possesses the richest and most accessible natural resources on Earth but is trapped inland, only able to sell its products to the United States. She also criticized the federal government for "eating our lunch."

This speech was delivered shortly after Smith's United Conservative Party government introduced a new bill aimed at significantly lowering the threshold for initiating a referendum. It is reported that if the bill passes, the number of required signatures for a referendum will be reduced from "20% of the voter registration" to "10% of the eligible voters in the last general election," i.e., 177,000 signatures. Additionally, the time allowed for collecting signatures will be extended from 90 days to 120 days.

"Signatures met, referendum on independence next year."

"I do not support Alberta separating from Canada," Smith said in a video speech released on May 5. She stated that her provincial government originally had no plans to include the issue of "sovereign independence" in the referendum. However, she pointed out that if citizens collect enough signatures, the government will "respect the democratic process" and include this issue in the 2026 referendum.

Smith said she hopes to establish a "sovereign independent" Alberta within a unified Canada, emphasizing that the voices of those dissatisfied with the federal government are not the voices of extremists and must be heard.

She stated, "The vast majority of these people are not fringe figures; they should not be marginalized or vilified. They are loyal Albertans, our dear friends and neighbors, whose livelihoods and prosperity have been attacked by a hostile federal government... They are frustrated, and they have every reason to be frustrated."

Smith claimed that Alberta has no choice but to take measures against the adversarial policies of the federal government led by the Liberals over the past ten years. She criticized these policies not only for unfairly seizing Alberta's wealth but also for destroying the oil and gas industry that drives its economic development.

"The whole world sees us as lunatics," Smith noted. "We have the richest and most accessible natural resources on Earth, yet we are trapped inland, forced to sell our products to a single customer to the south while letting polluting authoritarian regimes eat our lunch." Here, Smith referred to the United States as the "customer."

She emphasized, "For Albertans, the federal government's attacks on our province have become unbearable."

According to Smith, Alberta Province will appoint a negotiation team to engage in talks with the federal government and host discussions to explore how the province can protect itself from the "economic invasion" of the federal Liberal government. At the same time, she released a list of demands that Prime Minister Carney's Liberal federal government must meet to show respect to the people of Alberta.

The contents of Smith's wish list include:

Ensure that Alberta's oil and gas products can be transported unimpeded to the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic coasts;

The federal government must provide Alberta with equal place-based equalization transfer payments as other major provinces (Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia);

Call on the federal government to consult with Alberta before implementing any export tariffs that may affect the economy;

Require the federal government to repeal environmental impact legislation for large infrastructure projects, tanker bans, clean power regulations, the regulation requiring only electric vehicles to be sold by 2035, and any regulations regarding greenhouse gas emissions, plastic use, or freedom of speech...

Threatening the federal government to make concessions?

It was reported that Smith's latest remarks were made a week after the Liberals won the federal election for the fourth consecutive time. Residents of Alberta Province believe that over the past decade of Liberal rule, a series of policies have been implemented to hinder the construction of oil pipelines and the development of the province's energy industry.

On April 28, Prime Minister Carney's current Liberal Party won a majority of seats in the House of Commons, declaring victory. This result sparked dissatisfaction among大批 people in Alberta Province, who began calling for independence. On May 3 local time, hundreds of people held a rally at the Alberta Provincial Legislature to support the province's separation from Canada, with some even proposing joining the United States as the "51st state."

According to a poll conducted after the federal election by Canada's Globe and Mail on May 5, 22% of Albertans first identify themselves as Albertans, then Canadians; one-tenth of respondents believe that joining the United States would make Alberta's economy stronger; another one-fifth of respondents prefer becoming an independent nation in the future.

Moreover, organizers of the signature collection activities said that last week, more than 100,000 people had registered their names on an online registry willing to vote "in favor of separation from Canada."

Some of the anger among Albertans is directed at former Prime Minister Trudeau. Some believe he shows indifference to the priorities of western provinces, while others argue that he hinders the economic development of regions dependent on fossil fuel production. Dorothy Hofsincker, whose family runs a farm raising chickens and growing hops, said that in her view, Trudeau seems to think that Albertans are just a bunch of yokels.

During the rally on March 3, someone proposed that Alberta join the United States as the "51st state" Canadian media

Carney is preparing to meet with U.S. President Trump in Washington on May 6 to discuss tariff trade wars and other issues. Notably, in January this year, when Trump repeatedly claimed to "annex" Canada, Smith traveled to Mar-a-Lago to meet Trump.

Alberta Province is known as "Canada's most conservative province." It is reported that since taking office as Premier in 2022, Smith has been in dispute with Prime Minister Trudeau, especially on environmental policies, which she believes threaten Alberta's economy.

It was reported that Smith and Trump share common positions on some issues. For example, Smith's government passed an amendment to a provincial law last year allowing Alberta to disregard federal laws it deems unconstitutional, including provisions allowing citizens to refuse medical services or treatments without their consent, such as vaccinations. The amendment also grants Alberta residents the "legal" right to own and use firearms.

In January, Smith traveled to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump Smith X account

Public records show that Alberta Province is rich in oil and gas and is one of the wealthiest provinces in Canada, with its economic pillars being oil extraction and processing and natural gas industries, which account for nearly half of the country's mining output. Data shows that the province has the third-largest proven oil reserves in the world. In 2023, more than 80% of Canada's oil production came from this province.

John Soroka, associate professor of political science at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, analyzed that some of the contents on Smith's wish list will be difficult to achieve and require the agreement of other provinces and constitutional amendments. He said that the Alberta provincial government has been studying Quebec's strategy for decades, which involves threatening "sovereign independence" to gain concessions from the federal government.

CBC mentioned that Smith's latest remarks sparked intense debate within Alberta Province.

Some conservative party members support the "independence referendum." MP Jason Stephen told reporters on May 5 that this would be a "healthy democratic process" for Albertans. He said that during the Liberal Party's rule, debt continued to rise, and economic growth stagnated. "I hope Albertans understand the truth of the harsh treatment we have suffered over the past few years."

At the same time, critics accused Smith of defending separatists and creating an unstable environment that could endanger the province's economy.

Nashid Nancy, leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, stated in a statement that Smith should abandon the idea of separatism instead of sympathizing with it. He said that separatist rhetoric might scare away investors in Alberta and damage its economy.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501296372507853352/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Welcome to express your attitude by clicking the "like/dislike" button below.