Premiers from Western Canada and the northern territories are set to gather in Alberta to discuss business, trade and their neighbouring relationships, all while the host province stews over a monumental question of quitting Confederation.
The annual western premiers conference runs Monday and Tuesday in Kananaskis, west of Calgary.
Sam Blackett, a spokesperson for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s office, says the conference is to focus on trade, the economy, energy security, defence and nation-building projects.
“The premier looks forward to deepening these western partnerships and will share her plans to unleash the West’s true economic potential,” Blackett said in an emailed statement.
Other leaders said they expect to discuss the province’s ongoing dance with separatism.
Smith announced Thursday she’s putting a question about the province’s future in Confederation on an Oct. 19 referendum. Albertans will be asked if they want the province to remain in Canada or if they want a future binding referendum on separation.
B.C. Premier David Eby has remarked about the irony of a meeting with Canadian leadership in a province where the premier “appears to be setting the table to leave the country.”
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said his number 1 agenda item at the conference will be expressing his love for Canada and hoping other premiers show the same.
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“When we build our nation-building project in Churchill, I hope it’s a big old hug to our friends in Alberta and that they realize there’s no point in having a referendum and that Canada is the best country in the world,” Kinew said Thursday in Winnipeg.
Smith has had a watchful eye on Ottawa’s nation-building projects, with Prime Minister Mark Carney committing to declaring earlier this month a bitumen pipeline to the West Coast is of national importance. It’s part of an agreement Ottawa has with Alberta that also includes more relaxed carbon pricing for the province.
The agreement hasn’t sat well with Eby, who has opposed a pipeline crossing the westernmost province on its way to the coast — pitched as the door to Asian oil markets, as Canada looks to diversify its trade relationships.
When asked about his conversations with Carney about the pipeline, and whether or not he’s fought for a specific route, Eby said he’s “not fighting for Premier Smith’s projects.”
“My goal was to convince the prime minister to give the same level of attention and investment to B.C. projects as he’s giving to Alberta,” Eby said Thursday in Victoria.
He said he also spoke to Carney about the exclusive change to national carbon pricing rules in Alberta, as part of an individual negotiation with the province that left other regions out.
Smith, speaking Thursday to business leaders in Calgary, said she hopes Carney can sway Eby on the pipeline, given the B.C. premier’s pursuit of nation-building projects in his province.
“I think the prime minister has a lot of persuasion skills and he also has a lot of dollars that he can assist in moving some of these projects along in British Columbia,” she said.
Despite their differences, Smith is expected to gift Eby a pair of cowboy boots that he can step into at the conference.
The premiers of the Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon said they plan to be there.
Nunavut Premier John Main said the territory’s legislature convened last week and he won’t attend the conference. A media release from the Alberta government says he will participate virtually.
Main wished the premiers a productive meeting, noting Nunavut is interested in discussions about Arctic security and defence as Ottawa spends more on security.
Carney has committed to reaching NATO’s target of 3.5 per cent on defence spending and another 1.5 per cent on defence-related areas, by 2035.
“Despite their differences, Smith is expected to gift Eby a pair of cowboy boots that he can step into at the conference.”
Made by Florsheim and the wrong size?
Me me me me.
Oink oink oink.
Have you nutcases heard of united we stand…?
Eby is a far left divisive socialist hypocrite
Alberta sounds like your version of texASS
I hope the other Premiers set separatist Smith straight on separatism!
CANADA FOREVER
Bill Cameron. your full of s**T t ! i will type this again since its removed for censorship because of our communist rules , NOBODY WANTS TO STAY IN A COUNTRY RAN BY A CORUPT GOVENRMENT
of course liberals are corrupt and will do anything to keep Alberta . other wise where would all the money come from to embezzle
I refuse to go Elbows Up or bootlick Carney. I will be voting yes to leave Canada in October.
Hey, I know – if you weren’t conceived, born and raised in Alberta and you’re unhappy with how it is here, then go back home to wherever the Hell you came from.
Some one should kick Eby in the nuts. Oh wait he has no balls.
Reply to Derek Woitas: You are wrong – most Albertans WANT to stay in Canada. I would estimate 80% do.
The other 20% are are just ‘yahoo’ losers.
We can blame Sunny Ways Trudeau and Elbows Up Canrey for the main reasons why most Albertans want to leave Canada.
Reply to Bill Terrance: AB & SK will never separate.
I guess the east now calls anyone who leaves an abusive relationship a marraige traitor.
The fact is. SK and AB will seperate. It is just a matter of when. Full stop.
Eby and the BC NDP are a significant factor in Alberta’s sovereignty initiative. Ottawa and the Laurentian elites are the other significant factor.
@Hermit. You are clearly drinking the Elbows Up Kool-Aid.
Alberta is better off exiting Canada. So why should Albertans take less just because Liberals in Ontario, Quebec and Maritimes don’t want to take a haircut after mistreating Alberta for decades.
Why in Kananaskis and not Calgary?
Albertans have been treated poorly by Ottawa for a long time. This has fanned the flames for the desire to leave Canada. Do you blame a spouse when they leave a relationship if they are being treated like a door mat.
Smith desertion of Alberta is a disgrace and I lots so much respect for her for taking them to the goal post and joining Carney moving further down the road, I hope she is replaced in the next election! As far the Indian Nations they own no land in Alberta so no reason to discuss anything with them to after the vote is done, they each get a vote just like everyone in Alberta! This is not justice this cheating by Smith and Carney, Alberta needs a leader who stands up for Alberta!💯💯💯🙏♥️👍✅
People mad at smith are low information highly emotional useful idiots acting on behalf of their eastern Canadian masters
Albertans innocently voted for a lying piece of traitorous trash. Smith has caught global attention and in doing so has advertised her devotion to the disruption to the most favoured nation in the world. The dizzy mizzy must be removed from office with a swift kick up the butt
Moe should join in with Smith. The two provinces are better of either with the USA or an independent country.
These insane Separatists are wasting everyone’s time and money and affecting the economic growth in our Province. Just go away you bunch of ‘Nutters’.
Albertas premier allows democracy. Other provinces freak out amd manufacture panic. Proving Premier Smith is siding with the people and the establishment is SCRAMBLING over it.