After receiving a warm welcome and widespread support just 24 hours earlier, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith faced a more vocally critical and frustrated crowd as she and her hand-picked panel members assembled in Edmonton for the second of a series of summer town halls.
“We sound like bratty children,” said Roberta Stasyk, a resident of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., who was one of many speakers who showed up to voice their frustration.
Smith launched the panel to address public concerns over Prime Minister Mark Carney’s election win — concerns that have pushed some to want Alberta to separate from Confederation.
The premier’s staff said some 500 people attended the Edmonton town hall on Wednesday.
Unlike in Red Deer the night before, at least one-third of the Edmonton crowd was there to challenge Smith and the other 15 panel members on topics like creating a provincial police force, amending the constitution, and taking greater control over immigration.
The Alberta Next panel held its first town hall Tuesday evening in Red Deer. On Wednesday, the panel was in Edmonton to hear about what residents want out of the government. Emma Zhao was there.
Creating a provincial pension plan was a hot-button issue, with most of those who stood up to share their opinion saying Smith needed to drop the idea once and for all.
Stasyk called it a “horrible idea,” while others challenged the benefits touted in a government-produced video that played before the topic was discussed.
“A much smaller jurisdiction … would make it much more liable to the ups and downs of the market, for one thing,” said Hans Smit, a professor emeritus from the University of Calgary, who also asked the panel for a guarantee that a provincial pension plan wouldn’t be used for ideological means.
Another speaker, who only identified himself as Todd, told the panel that at the end of the day, he just wanted a pension, but he didn’t trust Smith’s government to manage it.
“I can stick with the [Canadian Pension Plan], which is one of the most effective things in the world, or I can gamble with you idiots.”
‘Alberta’s grievances’
While the majority of speakers who lined up to discuss pension plans said they wanted to maintain the status quo, a show of hands showed the majority of the crowd was in favour.
The same occurred when the idea of a provincial police force came up — many spoke against it, but a show of hands had those in favour in a clear majority.
“We really need to have a police force that lives in our community, works with our people, and grows and works with the communities,” said one supporter, Brian.
The divide in the room was clear, with attendees competing at every chance to make sure their boos or cheers came out on top.
While it was less of a regular occurrence than Tuesday’s town hall in Red Deer, some speakers in Edmonton did use the opportunity to push for separation.
“Alberta’s grievances with Ottawa predate our becoming a province,” said one speaker, Cathy.
“Let’s just move forward with a referendum on independence, force that constitution open, and see where those talks take us.”
Other Alberta independence supporters gathered outside, making sure those who attended saw a large “Alberta Sovereignty Now” banner as they walked to their cars.
Also in the parking lot were two protesters, one holding a sign saying “I love [U.S. President Donald] Trump” and wearing a large papier mache head that was a caricature of Smith.
‘Punching down’
Back inside the Edmonton hotel ballroom where the town hall took place, Smith, at times, was forced to defend the topics her panel was assembled to discuss.
One proposal, that Alberta create its own immigration permitting system and cut off immigrants it didn’t approve from health care and other provincially-run services, led a speaker to ask why the premier was “punching down on immigrants.”
Smith quickly spoke up to say that wasn’t the case, adding that her government was just trying to find a solution to high housing costs and “increasing pressure on our social programs.”
“There has to be a reasonable amount of newcomers that are able to come here, fit into the economy, be able to be self-supporting,” Smith said.
“That is, I think, a bit high at the moment.”
Panel member Sumita Anand, who also serves as co-chair on Smith’s council for multiculturalism, agreed with the premier, and at one point pleaded with the crowd for support on the proposal.
“Please instruct us to put reasonable check stops,” said Anand, an executive at a Calgary-based non-profit that provides support to those with disabilities.
“All we are asking for are check stops so that we can make a better future for our children and our grandchildren here.”
Jennifer Long, an anthropology professor at MacEwan University in Edmonton, challenged the premier and the panel, saying they were giving more “fodder” to issues that are already dividing Albertans.
“If we’re worried about having affordable housing, why aren’t we putting more policies to make landlords who own empty houses to make them come on the market?” Long said.
Earlier in the day, Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi told reporters in Red Deer that the premier’s panel was conjuring up unreliable data to support things her government already wants to do.
“What a debacle. This thing is such a sham,” Nenshi said.
Smith’s panel will return to Edmonton for the third of 10 in-person town halls next month, with other dates set for Fort McMurray and Lloydminster later in August.
