Thursday, June 25, 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

Illicit drug "superlab" bust in Lumby

Illicit drug
R-C-M-P say they have wrapped up a case that shutdown an illicit drug "superlab" producing huge quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the north Okanagan community of Lumby. In all, six people were convicted of running the lab which Seyed says was capable of producing millions of doses of potentially lethal fentanyl.  

Illicit drug "superlab" bust in Lumby

No charges for Vancouver cop: IIO

No charges for Vancouver cop: IIO
A Vancouver police officer will not be charged for subduing a man who was vandalizing cars, threatening people and damaging property in the city's West End in July 2021. The man suffered cuts to his face and head as well as a broken arm when he was confronted by two officers after numerous people called 9-1-1 to report a person was waving a tree branch and using it to damage cars and threaten other pedestrians.

No charges for Vancouver cop: IIO

House peppered with bullets: Richmond RCMP

House peppered with bullets: Richmond RCMP
Mounties in Richmond are investigating separate, late-night shootings that have left a house, vehicle and garage peppered with bullets. A statement from R-C-M-P says the first shooting in the 6300 block of Chelmsford Street happened more than two weeks ago, on August 27th, and the second occurred on August 29th.

House peppered with bullets: Richmond RCMP

B.C. premier breaks ground on second hospital, cancer centre at cost of $2.88 billion

B.C. premier breaks ground on second hospital, cancer centre at cost of $2.88 billion
A long-awaited and often promised second hospital for the City of Surrey marked a milestone today with a groundbreaking ceremony promising the opening of the new facility by 2029. Premier David Eby says the start of construction on the new $2.88 billion hospital and cancer treatment centre is an anticipated and needed health-care expansion in one of British Columbia's fastest growing communities.  

B.C. premier breaks ground on second hospital, cancer centre at cost of $2.88 billion

2 Canadian Sikhs sentenced for role in murder of man over drug debt

2 Canadian Sikhs sentenced for role in murder of man over drug debt
Andrew Baldwin, 30, who used and trafficked drugs, was stabbed to death on November 11, 2019, as he watched a movie with a friend in a basement apartment at Whalley in the Surrey city of British Columbia. While Jagpal Singh Hothi was charged with first-degree murder, his friend and accomplice Jasman Singh Basran, who tried to get rid of evidence, was charged with being an accessory, The Vancouver Sun newspaper reported on Monday.  

2 Canadian Sikhs sentenced for role in murder of man over drug debt

One evacuation imposed, another dropped, as B.C. wildfires burn through September

One evacuation imposed, another dropped, as B.C. wildfires burn through September
The order is the only one issued in B.C. in the last 24 hours, but several other orders and alerts have been ended or downgraded over the same period, including orders covering 25 homes affected by the out-of-control McDougall Creek wildfire near West Kelowna.

One evacuation imposed, another dropped, as B.C. wildfires burn through September