Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is receiving unexpected support from the leader of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois after she opened the door for a referendum vote on the province separating from the rest of Canada if enough signatures are acquired.
The provincial Quebec separatist party lauded Smith for what they called “concrete actions” in the face of federal government overreach.
“This is a premier who has decided to address the government of Canada directly by saying, ‘If you do not respect our democracy, you do not respect our financial choices and our priorities, I will respond to your abuse of power with concrete actions,’” party leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, told reporters in Quebec City Tuesday.
Smith recently announced plans to appoint a negotiating team to defend Alberta’s autonomy within the Confederation and assemble a panel of the province’s brightest to propose key provincial referenda, including on separation.
“We just want to be free,” said Smith on Monday.
“Free to develop and export that incredible wealth of resources we have for the benefit of our families and future generations. Free to pursue opportunities with the ideals of entrepreneurship, hard work and innovation that have become synonymous with the name of our province.”
St-Pierre Plamondon praised Smith’s threat of a referendum to attain leverage from the federal government.
The Parti Québécois launched referendums on Quebec sovereignty twice – in 1980 and 1995, both of which failed.
However, St-Pierre Plamondon vows Quebec will see a third referendum by 2030 should his party form government after next year’s provincial election.
He stressed the importance of provinces being able to consult their population on the question of independence in the wake of feeling disrespected by Ottawa.
St-Pierre Plamondon said he’s in “total agreement” with Alberta for defending their own interests while criticizing Quebec Premier François Legault for not doing enough for the sake of Quebecers.
“What a striking gesture to see Danielle Smith do more in terms of autonomy and defence of her own province … than François Legault has done over his entire mandate,” he said.
Smith has stated that while she does not support Alberta separating from Canada she understands the frustrations of those who do. Her government also introduced a bill last week to lower the bar petitioners need to meet to trigger a provincial referendum vote.
The legislation reduced the required number of petition signatures from 600,000 to just 177,000, a figure that was based on 10 per cent of ballots cast in the last general election.
St-Pierre Plamondon also noted how the growing interest in Alberta separation contradicts the narrative that Canada has become more unified since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump and the threat of tariffs.
“In reality, other Canadian provinces … are still seeing enough abuse of power on the part of the federal government to go so far as to consider a referendum on their own independence,” he said.