Tuesday, June 2, 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

Google exempt from Online News Act for five years, must pay news outlets $100M: CRTC

Google exempt from Online News Act for five years, must pay news outlets $100M: CRTC
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has granted Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act, ordering it to release the $100 million it now owes to Canadian news outlets within 60 days. Google agreed last year to pay Canadian news publishers $100 million a year, indexed to inflation, in order to be exempt from the law, which compels tech companies to enter into agreements with news publishers to pay for content reposted on their platforms.

Google exempt from Online News Act for five years, must pay news outlets $100M: CRTC

'Nobody wants to blow up the party': Trudeau staying, despite resignation calls

'Nobody wants to blow up the party': Trudeau staying, despite resignation calls
Several Liberal MPs are calling for a secret ballot vote on Justin Trudeau's leadership after he made clear he isn't going anywhere in spite of the calls from within his caucus to step down.  Two dozen members of caucus signed a letter that gave Trudeau until Monday to respond to their demand for his resignation as party leader.

'Nobody wants to blow up the party': Trudeau staying, despite resignation calls

Coast guard's North Pacific patrol uncovers shark finning, dark vessels

Coast guard's North Pacific patrol uncovers shark finning, dark vessels
The Canadian Coast Guard ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier is back in its home port in Victoria after its crew swept the North Pacific for unreported and unregulated fishing. The coast guard says in a statement that its officers and support personnel found illegally harvested shark fins, evidence of fishing in closed season, unreported catches and instances of marine pollution.

Coast guard's North Pacific patrol uncovers shark finning, dark vessels

Eby on track for majority as NDP takes lead in key riding, but recounts may loom

Eby on track for majority as NDP takes lead in key riding, but recounts may loom
The British Columbia NDP has overtaken the B.C. Conservatives in the ongoing count of absentee votes in a crucial Metro Vancouver riding, putting Premier David Eby on course to win government with a razor-thin majority. An update from Elections BC at 2 p.m. on Monday put the New Democrats ahead in the riding of Surrey-Guildford by 18 votes.

Eby on track for majority as NDP takes lead in key riding, but recounts may loom

Toxicity and tight race fuel B.C. election integrity doubters, says professor

Toxicity and tight race fuel B.C. election integrity doubters, says professor
University of British Columbia professor emeritus Richard Johnston says questions about mail-in votes and the handling of ballots also reflect circumstances south of the border. He said other factors include use of more complicated voting apparatus and social media platforms where anyone can publish doubts.

Toxicity and tight race fuel B.C. election integrity doubters, says professor

B.C. election: NDP takes lead in key riding, putting Eby on track for majority

B.C. election: NDP takes lead in key riding, putting Eby on track for majority
The NDP now leads Surrey-Guildford by 14 votes and if it hangs on there and in other races, it would have a one-seat majority in the 93-riding legislature. Elections BC officials are counting more than 22,000 absentee and special ballots provincewide today, nine days after the province’s election.

B.C. election: NDP takes lead in key riding, putting Eby on track for majority