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

Morning stabbing in Nanaimo

Morning stabbing in Nanaimo
Police in Nanaimo are looking for a knife used in a stabbing this morning. R-C-M-P say one person was stabbed after an altercation in the 100 block of Victoria Crescent.

Morning stabbing in Nanaimo

Liberals could ask Bank of Canada to stop hiking interest rates: NDP

Liberals could ask Bank of Canada to stop hiking interest rates: NDP
The New Democrats say the federal government should follow the lead of British Columbia's premier and ask the Bank of Canada to stop raising interest rates. Premier David Eby wrote to Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem last week and asked him not to hike rates again as Canadians struggle to pay for food and rent.

Liberals could ask Bank of Canada to stop hiking interest rates: NDP

Children's Ministry refuses to compensate youth it misinformed: B.C. Ombudsperson

Children's Ministry refuses to compensate youth it misinformed: B.C. Ombudsperson
British Columbia's government is refusing to pay a young woman for its own mistakes and the provincial ombudsperson says she may not be the only one harmed. Jay Chalke says the Ministry of Children and Family Development gave the woman incorrect information, leading her to believe she was eligible for government support for post-secondary education worth tens of thousands of dollars. 

Children's Ministry refuses to compensate youth it misinformed: B.C. Ombudsperson

Feds award $15 million contract to Sun Life to lay groundwork for dental care program

Feds award $15 million contract to Sun Life to lay groundwork for dental care program
The federal government has awarded a contract worth up to $15 million to lay the groundwork for a new national dental insurance plan. The new plan, which was a key demand from the NDP as part of the its supply and confidence agreement with the governing Liberals, will replace the interim dental benefit for kids rolled out last year.

Feds award $15 million contract to Sun Life to lay groundwork for dental care program

Rental of B.C. school for Sikh referendum vote is cancelled by district

Rental of B.C. school for Sikh referendum vote is cancelled by district
The Surrey School District says in a statement that it cancelled the rental of Tamanawis Secondary School for the Sept. 10 referendum because promotional posters featured a picture of the school alongside what it called "images of a weapon."  

Rental of B.C. school for Sikh referendum vote is cancelled by district

B.C. residents tour wildfire razing in area that has 'changed dramatically:' district

B.C. residents tour wildfire razing in area that has 'changed dramatically:' district
Some residents of one of the regions most devastated by wildfires in British Columbia will be touring the burned-out site today. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says in a statement that "some areas of the community have changed dramatically" after the Bush Creek East wildfire swept through, destroying or damaging as many as 200 homes.

B.C. residents tour wildfire razing in area that has 'changed dramatically:' district