National

Smith says sovereignty referendum provides 'outlet' to avoid creation of new party

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 May, 2025 10:33 AM

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's willing to risk a separation referendum to avert the growth of a political rival.

Smith has said she doesn't support separating her province from Canada, but Albertans have genuine grievances with the federal government, and she wants concessions from Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Speaking to CTV News Channel, Smith was asked if it wasn't easier to quell separatism by taking it off the table.

Smith says, “if there isn’t an outlet, it creates a new party.”

Smith cites the high popularity of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in Quebec, saying she doesn't want to see that happen in her home province.

Her United Conservative Party is the amalgamation of two right-wing parties that joined in 2017 to win power from then-New Democrat premier Rachel Notley in 2019.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Liberal leadership race raises questions about possible fundraising 'loophole'

Only two of the candidates in the Liberal leadership race — Mark Carney and Ruby Dhalla — disclosed their fundraising events to Elections Canada. A political transparency advocate says this exposes a "loophole" in the rules for funding political campaigns that needs to be closed — since some of the contenders held fundraisers without publicly disclosing them or reporting who attended.

Liberal leadership race raises questions about possible fundraising 'loophole'

Conservative MPs beat Liberals, NDP on online engagement, study finds

The report from McGill’s Media Ecosystem Observatory found in 2024, online posts from federal Conservative MPs garnered 61 per cent more engagement — likes, shares and comments — than those from Liberal and NDP MPs combined.

Conservative MPs beat Liberals, NDP on online engagement, study finds

World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic five years ago today

Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic of the novel coronavirus, setting off a series of policies that transformed Canadians' lives for years. The WHO's declaration followed months of warning signs about the dangers of COVID-19, including mass lockdowns in China and Italy, and served as a wake-up call for many Canadians.

World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic five years ago today

Canada's dairy industry says tariffs less scary than threats to supply management

Members of Canada's dairy industry say they're less worried about the threat of steep U.S. tariffs than about a looming battle over supply management. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose what he calls "reciprocal" tariffs on Canadian dairy, saying they're a response to Canada's 250 per cent duty on U.S. dairy imports.

Canada's dairy industry says tariffs less scary than threats to supply management

Trump says he will double tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum imports

Trump said 50 per cent tariffs will be placed on Canadian steel and aluminum on Wednesday. In a post on social media, he called Canada "ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD."

Trump says he will double tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum imports

Resort confirms Kicking Horse gondola fell one metre to ground, 8 on board

The owner of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden has confirmed eight people were aboard a gondola that fell to the ground Monday morning. Resorts of the Canadian Rockies says its patrol team and first responders were immediately dispatched after it happened around 9:20 a.m., but no one was seriously injured in the incident.