Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending a suite of fall referendum questions aimed at immigration reform, saying “not every newcomer is a net contributor” to provincial coffers.
Smith announced in a TV address on Thursday evening that her United Conservative Party government is putting nine questions to a provincewide referendum on Oct. 19.
They include proposals to restrict health care, education and other social services from some immigrants and to open up constitutional negotiations on abolishing the Senate and giving provinces the power to appoint Superior Court judges.
However, the most controversial questions focus on immigration and they were also the topic of many of the questions at a Friday morning news conference hosted by Smith.
While immigration policy in Canada is primarily the responsibility of Ottawa, not the provinces, one of Smith’s referendum questions makes reference to “an Alberta-approved immigration status.”
Asked what that means, Smith took aim at a familiar foe, former prime minister Justin Trudeau, criticizing his government for accepting too many immigrants without “in-demand skills” calling his government’s immigration policies “absolutely unsustainable.”
Alberta’s population, which topped five million last year, according to Statistics Canada, added more than 600,000 people in the past five years — something Smith said has been putting a strain on provincial resources.
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“Throwing the doors wide open to anyone and everyone across the globe has flooded our classrooms, emergency rooms and social support systems with far too many people, far too quickly,” claimed Smith.
Smith announced the referendum questions at a time her government is facing a deficit of at least $6.4 billion, partly because of falling world oil prices but also a funding shortfall she blames on Alberta’s rapid population growth.
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When pressed, Smith couldn’t provide a dollar amount on how much those who aren’t Canadian citizens or permanent residents are costing the public purse, but claimed other provinces already require employers and not the provincial government to cover health care costs.
The opposition NDP responded to Smith’s referendum questions, calling them a deceptive distraction from “a UCP budget that will contain billions of dollars in deficits along with the campaign for Alberta’s separation from Canada “which she put on the agenda.”
The premier is blaming oil prices and immigration “for her own poor planning and financial mismanagement,” said Deputy NDP Leader Raki Pancholi at a news conference in Edmonton on Friday, who added that Albertans will “see right through this.”
Referencing previous calls from the premier for more immigration, Pancholi said, “Less than two years ago, Danielle Smith herself asked Justin Trudeau to increase immigration levels because Alberta wanted more than what Ottawa was already allocating. In 2024, she stated publicly that she wanted to double Alberta’s population to 10 million people.”
“She did all this without a single thought or plan for how to create the jobs, build the houses, the schools, and hospitals that we already needed in this province,” added Pancholi, who also challenged Smith to call a provincial election.
“Let Albertans judge her performance in the last six years under the UCP. It’s all a massive distraction from the real things Albertans expect their government to deliver: health care, education, cost of living and good quality jobs,” Pancholi added.
Asked about Smith blaming immigrants, in part, for the province’s financial woes, Pancholi said, “I’m a public figure who has been in this role for about seven years now, and I can tell you that the level of racism and hate that has been expressed has risen undoubtedly in this province.”
Her concerns about the possible backlash against immigrants are shared by Sally Zhao, CEO of The Immigrant Education Society in Calgary.
“We’re worried about the already existing anti-immigration sentiment. So with this, will that become worse? We hope not,” said Zhao.
“And the long-term impact, well, I think immigrants are filling up a lot of employment labor market gaps. For example, hospitality and other service industries. We’re wondering, in the future, these industries rely on immigrants very heavily, ‘Where are they going to find workers? And in the long term, are we making Alberta a more desirable place for people to come, or we are making Alberta a less desirable place to come?'” added Zhao.
Gabriel Brunet, spokesman for Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister for intergovernmental affairs, responded to Smith’s comments, saying the federal government had taken note of Smith’s address and had also taken measures to bring “control” back to the immigration system.
“Albertans will express their views on these issues and others raised by Premier Smith, as they have on several constitutional questions in the past,” Brunet said.
–with files from The Canadian Press.
For those worried about Premeirs agenda are not true Albertans, we have many people from the Orient bronging family members over that arent working here they have a dozen people under same roof so their not paying into anything. They have their hand in Alberta Taxpayers Pockets! So all you naysayers, if Alberta Seperates we can start sending these clowns back where they came from. The People of the Orient are the Worst Offenders. Premier Smith i cant wait for the vote, so you can kick some ass!! Be Worried Refrugees..
Global executives are traitors.
i for one am very glad Smith is in office. She works for Albertans period. She is right about all this.
the liberals have over loaded every province in Canada, with no means to help with the over load of people coming in. We need answers and Smith is going to get them for us. Smith makes us proud to be in Alberta. Alberta is working because of her. the other party just took your money with no dam progress.
Why stop at nine questions? I can think of a tenth question. It’s about Smith herself.
Indefensible
Smith makes me gag. What a dolt. Watch her drive up the deficit now.
I also realize how much of an idiot I was for saying she was “kissing the MAGA deranged Trumpet.” She was down there negotiating and doing the job that Carney and Joly should have been doing – which of course they followed her lead immediately after, with Joly going down there next, then Carney multiple times.
On second thought, I don’t think she’s creating any division. She’s simply standing up for her electorate in the face of the ever increasing squeeze and choke from the feds. She has a decent Premier Approval rating from Leger as well, ahead of the BC dufus next door (Eby). It’s no wonder the NDP will never get back in power.
$10K to anyone who can figure out what exactly I wrote in my last comment.
She makes alot of sense. People are complaining about social programs and long hospital wait times, yet they fail to see how much this open-door policy strains our system. Yes, we can accept immigrants, but we also need to ensure these people are contributing to the system like everyone else.
Alberta’s new trade and investment office in Abu Dhabi, is a collapse survey shows 90% visitors are Indians wanting to immigrate or pretend to study in Alberta. Waste of 27 Million of Alberta taxpayers, Pre Smith’s disaster seen Etihad direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Calgary packed with Indians ready to start work at Tims and Walnut.
Her actions are creating division and hate in this province. Where has our sense of morality gone to? Speak up people.
This premier is disgraceful. Voting for directives on immigration and Alberta seperation does not mean democracy. Serving her voting base and kissing the MAGA deranged Trumpet is her priority. She is as anti Democracy and Canadian as it gets. People please start thinking about what you are voting for.
Let’s kick out the refugees living in hotels on taxpayers dollar for years. Thanks Trudeau you P.O.S
Let’s start with the refugees living in hotels for years on taxpayers dime.
So where might the taxpayers of Alberta be able to see and prepare themselves for the referendum? Educating people about these “issues” should be step ONE in the process, not drop the questions and expect coherent and honest responses.
Garbage human being.
She’s the best premier in the province. She’s fighting for her people who get continually ra ped by the Feds. You disagree?? You can go f * ck yourselves!
Who will fill up the job market? How about our kids and those with special needs or skills. How about those who can not get an interview because they only speak English or French. It should be illegal to discriminate so openly or at all. Wake up Ndp!
Liberals/NDP are very open minded UNTIL you disagree with them.
You people complain about hospitals housing poverty but don’t bat an eye about the pretty much open borders. Smith is right. Leftists are the destruction of society.
I am so sick of this damn Premier and her Trump style politics. Voted conservative all my life but no more.
She is garbage
For the car?
She’s an idiot, but hey keep voting her in and its the same in ontario we have a idiot as well. they need to put Canadian men and women first hospitals and medical and housing and poverty levels never been so high and the unemployment rates never been higher taking care of the people has never really been any politicians number 1 thing
Not Controversial but Democratic
I’m like Arthur. Another brain dead mo ron that can come up with a single argument against Smith. All I can say is “MAGA.” I dream about Trump as he occupies the two brain cells I have left.
Who let MAGA into Canada?
She ain’t wrong.
Then again I have virtually no brain cells left and have no other arguments other than things TDS related.
I have very few brain cells so the only arguments I can think of are MAGA this or MAGA that. Sorry folks.
I used to criticize her but now I realize how much effort she puts into safeguarding the welfare of her electorate. Alberta is lucky to have someone who defends them against the permanent blood sucking that is the federal government.
Racist, cheap political strategy right out of the MAGA play book. A total embarassment!