Premier Danielle Smith says she doesn’t need Alberta separatists’ support
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she → say → support
Premier sat down with CBC Radio’s West of Centre for an in-depth interview
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the matter of separatism is settled within her party and she doesn’t need the support of those who want the province to leave Canada.
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province → sit → Canada
Smith says she told members of her United Conservative Party on Wednesday that they should support the will of the majority of Albertans who have voted to stay in Canada, or leave the party.
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who → say → party
But some prominent separatists like Mitch Slyvestre, the president of the UCP's Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul constituency association, have long argued that they helped oust former premier Jason Kenney and get Smith in as leader of the UCP.
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they → argue → UCP
CBC Radio’s West of Centre host Kathleen Petty interviewed the premier on Friday.
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Petty → interview → Friday
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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interview → edit → length
Jared Wesley from the University of Alberta had observed “a referendum does not just reveal your strength — it can also reveal your weakness.”
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it → observe → weakness
Did it here?
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it → do → ?
It showed to me that certainly on the constitutional questions, there just is not the appetite to pursue it.
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It → show → it
And I think there's a couple of reasons for that.
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I → think → that
On constitutional change, I think people are still a little fatigued from all of the different realms that were unsuccessful in previous years.
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that → think → years
So I think it's a question of how much success we could have on them.
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we → think → them
I think what we saw is the immigration questions are certainly more important than the other ones.
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questions → think → ones
And so those will be the ones we'll prioritize.
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we → prioritize → ?
So what guidance do you believe that's giving you for the legislation that you're planning for this spring?
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you → believe → that
Well, it seems to me people are very enthusiastic about the idea of having to show citizenship in order to be able to vote.
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people → seem → citizenship
So I think people need to be prepared that that is very likely going to be the first thing that we act on with enabling legislation.
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we → think → legislation
We're making it as easy as possible because we now have a citizenship marker on your driver's licence.
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we → make → licence
So you can go through and get all of that process done.
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all → go → process
So you can just have one piece of ID.
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you → have → ID
When it comes to waiting periods for temporary workers or what the fees might be to access some of the programs, we're going to have to take a bit more time with that.
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we → come → that
But I think we can solve a lot of the problems by focusing our newcomer population on the jobs that are available.
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that → think → jobs
Because when somebody comes with a high-paying job, they probably don't need to rely on social services.
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they → come → services
And when somebody makes a commitment to being a permanent taxpayer as a permanent resident, they'll get the same programs as everyone else.
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they → make → everyone
So if we can fix that part, then I think it will reduce some of the stress on our health care and education and other systems.
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it → fix → care
Question 10, you say it’s settled — 75 per cent of Albertans said we want to stay in Canada.
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we → say → Canada
It seems it isn't settled in your party though.
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it → seem → party
So how do you deal with that?
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you → deal → that
Well, it is settled in my party.
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it → settle → party
How’s it settled?
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it → settle → ?
I'm the chief communicator for our party, and I have said that anyone who wants to run as a candidate for us, anyone who wants to be on our provincial board, has to align with what Albertans told us.
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Albertans → say → us
If you're going to be in a political party and show faithfully that you're going to represent the people, then you have to listen to the message they gave you and the message that Albertans gave us — 75 per cent — that they're proud Canadians and want to stay a part of Canada.
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they → go → Canada
So how will you enforce it?
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you → enforce → it
Right now, I am allowing people some time to reflect on what democracy means.
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democracy → allow → what
And when they’re finished reflecting?
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they → finish → ?
If you don't want to agree to follow the will of the people, you don't have to be a candidate for us.
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you → want → us
You don't have to run for our provincial board.
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You → have → board
And if they do, you don't sign their nomination papers?
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you → do → papers
Well, I guess we'll see whether or not people will rise to the occasion.
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people → guess → occasion
I think most people do.
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people → think → ?
…and 27 more, not listed.
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