Alberta’s premier says she welcomes diverse opinions in her caucus after a legislature member of her United Conservative Party opined a referendum on separation is good for the province.
Danielle Smith reiterated on her provincewide radio show Saturday her government supports a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada despite the views Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan expressed a day before in an op-ed published on an online conservative media outlet’s website.
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Smith said she has taken steps to obtain that sovereignty, such as signing the Alberta-Canada energy memorandum of understanding with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Stephan, who is also the premier’s parliamentary secretary for constitutional affairs, wrote in the op-ed published Friday that he invites all who love freedom and prosperity to sign a petition pushing for a referendum on separation.
He says Ottawa is trying to gaslight Albertans into thinking a referendum will cause economic uncertainty but a referendum is about holding Ottawa accountable for its “stupid laws.”
The Alberta Chambers of Commerce said earlier this month talk of the province potentially quitting Confederation is bad for business.
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