Saturday, June 6, 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

RCMP investigating body found by rural road near Calgary after fire

RCMP investigating body found by rural road near Calgary after fire
RCMP say they've put significant resources toward investigating the death of a person found after they responded to a fire by a rural road east of Calgary. Mounties were called early on Wednesday morning to a report of a fire on the side of a rural road in Rocky View County.

RCMP investigating body found by rural road near Calgary after fire

Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver

Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver
No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night. 

Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver

2 in hospital in double stabbing in Surrey

2 in hospital in double stabbing in Surrey
Surrey R-C-M-P say they are investigating a double stabbing that sent two men to hospital. R-C-M-P say officers responded to a report of a fight on September 10th at an intersection where they found two man being stabbed. 

2 in hospital in double stabbing in Surrey

Kelowna coin collection theft

Kelowna coin collection theft
The Kelowna R-C-M-P says it is looking for the rightful owner of a rare coin collection that was recovered during a traffic stop. They say the collection holds several collector's coins from over the years and police are certain someone in the community is missing them.

Kelowna coin collection theft

Mounties say there's no evidence Lytton wildfire was arson, cause unknown

Mounties say there's no evidence Lytton wildfire was arson, cause unknown
Mounties in British Columbia say there's no evidence that the devastating fire that swept through the community of Lytton more than three years ago was arson. Police have concluded their investigation into the June 2021 wildfire, saying they can't pinpoint the cause of the blaze that killed two people and wiped out much of the village and part of the First Nation, a day after a Canadian temperature record of 49.6 C was set in Lytton.

Mounties say there's no evidence Lytton wildfire was arson, cause unknown

Man hiking near Fairy Creek, B.C., wrongfully arrested by Mounties, review finds

Man hiking near Fairy Creek, B.C., wrongfully arrested by Mounties, review finds
The commission released a review of a complaint made by a man who had been hiking a forest service road with a group in September 2021 on Vancouver Island near Fairy Creek, where logging activity ignited protests against forestry firm Teal Cedar Products.  

Man hiking near Fairy Creek, B.C., wrongfully arrested by Mounties, review finds