Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi kicked off his career as an MLA with a direct attack on Premier Danielle Smith.
Nenshi held a press conference alongside 10 of his colleagues on Monday in Edmonton-Strathcona, right before he was set to formally be sworn in.
While his 10-minute monologue included announcing some of the Alberta NDP’s summer plans, it was primarily spent focusing on Smith.
He accused the premier of “playing dice with the future of the country,” drawing a comparison to former U.K. prime minister David Cameron, who resigned after the Brexit referendum.
Nenshi said the difference was that Cameron never admitted that he caused the Brexit referendum to save his own political skin.
“Danielle Smith is at least more honest. She’s told us all that this has nothing to do with Canada. It has nothing to do with getting a better deal for Alberta,” claimed Nenshi. “It has everything to do with the fact that she’s scared that if she doesn’t do this, her base will abandon her, and no one else likes her enough to vote for her. So she’s actually playing with the future of the country in order to save herself.”
Smith has advocated for Alberta remaining within Canada, but also pledged that the question of separation would be put to a vote by 2026 if the required number of signatures were met.
She also launched the Alberta Next panel, a province-wide consultation platform to gather public input from Albertans to determine which provincial reforms can be put to referenda next year.
Ideas under consideration include creating an Alberta Provincial Police Service to replace the RCMP, withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan and establishing an Alberta Pension Plan under provincial management, having the province assume more control over immigration policy, and much more.
Nenshi accused Smith of stoking anxiety.
He previously launched an anti-Smith, anti-separation website with similar claims.
The Alberta NDP leader also claimed that the separatist movement destroyed Quebec’s economy for a generation.
He claimed that businesses were already avoiding investing in Alberta because of the growing separatist movement, adding that not a penny would be invested between now and next spring.
“They’re not going to stand by and let Danielle Smith do this. In the hundreds and thousands, they’re going to show up at those town halls and tell Premier Smith she’s wrong. She’s going to be very surprised at the people who show up at these sham do-nothing panels that she’s spending millions of dollars on,” said Nenshi of Albertans.
He added that he expects various resignations from upcoming Alberta Next panels over the next few days due to them not wanting to take part in “this craziness.”
The Alberta NDP launched “Better Together,” which will take place over the summer and fall. The initiative will include formal town halls, door-knocking, and visits to festivals, parades, and local events.
“So this summer, we’re putting Danielle Smith on notice as her government and her caucus crumble around her as her support falls further and further,” said Nenshi.
Smith recently posted the biggest approval rating among all of the country’s premiers.
Meanwhile, Nenshi’s has crumbled.
A recent CBC poll showcased that compared to Rachel Notley’s final months as leader, Naheed Nenshi is polling worse in both favourability and electoral support. He has higher disapproval and waning enthusiasm even in traditional NDP strongholds.