Sunday, July 5, 2026
ADVT 
National

Immigration, pension: A look at survey questions put forward by Alberta Next panel

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Jun, 2025 10:44 AM
  • Immigration, pension: A look at survey questions put forward by Alberta Next panel

The Alberta Next panel, chaired by Premier Danielle Smith, is holding town halls this summer to get feedback on how the province should stand up to Ottawa while building a "strong and sovereign Alberta within Canada."

Smith has promised a referendum next year on some of the ideas put forward to the panel.

The panel's website launched on Tuesday with surveys on six issues. Before taking each survey, participants must watch a short video.

Here are some of the questions:

Immigration

"Should the provincial government refuse to provide provincial programs to non-citizens and non-permanent residents living in Alberta unless they have been granted an Alberta government-approved immigration permit?"

Constitutional changes

"Should Alberta take a lead role in working with other provinces to pressure the federal government to amend the Canadian constitution to empower and better protect provincial rights?"

Federal transfers and equalization

"Do you agree that the current federal transfer and equalization system is unfair to Alberta?"

"Do you think Alberta should work with other provinces to transfer a larger share of overall taxes from Ottawa to the provinces?"

Provincial police force

"What aspect do you like most about an Alberta Police Service?"

"What concerns you most about shifting from the RCMP to an Alberta Police Service?"

Alberta pension plan

"What potential benefit do you like most about Alberta opting to leave the CPP and create its own Pension Plan?"

"Which risk of opting out of CPP to start an Alberta Pension Plan are you most concerned about? 

Tax collection

This survey had problems displaying questions on the website Tuesday afternoon, but a video beforehand asks Albertans if they would support creating a provincial revenue agency.

It says doing so would require hiring 5,000 staff, cost Alberta at least $750 million per year, and require residents to file provincial and federal taxes separately -- but it would also create jobs and give Alberta more of a say over its tax regime.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Minister stands by B.C. salmon farm closures

Minister stands by B.C. salmon farm closures
A statement from the office of Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray says her decision last month against renewing the licences for the farms off Vancouver Island near Campbell River was difficult but necessary.

Minister stands by B.C. salmon farm closures

B.C. LNG facility maps plan to early net zero

B.C. LNG facility maps plan to early net zero
Woodfibre LNG says in a statement it plans to meet net-zero emissions by the time operations start at the south coast export facility in 2027. Company president Christine Kennedy says emission reduction opportunities are a priority for the project as it implements a strategy that will result in the world's first net-zero facility.    

B.C. LNG facility maps plan to early net zero

Surrey shooting victim's identity revealed, search for suspect vehicle continues

Surrey shooting victim's identity revealed, search for suspect vehicle continues
Police say they responded to reports of shots fired just before 8 p.m. that day and found Smith's body. Investigators say Smith and his family had only recently moved to the city. IHIT says in a news release that the suspect left the area in a white Penske Ford Transit rental van shortly after the shooting.  

Surrey shooting victim's identity revealed, search for suspect vehicle continues

Driver in hospital after striking the centre median in Surrey, road closures in effect

Driver in hospital after striking the centre median in Surrey, road closures in effect
A black Jaguar sedan was travelling west bound on 72nd avenue when it lost control and struck the centre median. The adult male driver of the Jaguar was taken to a local area hospital in critical condition with life threatening injuries.

Driver in hospital after striking the centre median in Surrey, road closures in effect

Canadians still facing longer surgical wait times

Canadians still facing longer surgical wait times
The report, published on Thursday, looked at knee and hip replacements, cataract surgeries and cancer surgeries performed in 2019 versus those performed in 2022. Thousands of joint replacement and cataract surgeries were cancelled or delayed when COVID-19 hit.

Canadians still facing longer surgical wait times

Parks Canada says reservation system working well

Parks Canada says reservation system working well
Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations. The site was recently updated to fix an older one that was prone to crashes and glitches.

Parks Canada says reservation system working well