So according to Bessent, Albertans “want sovereignty” by…..becoming a US state?
Koladi-Ola on
Anybody got a non-paywalled version?
TrueTorontoFan on
might be the first time i’ve seen her do this in any substantial way… oftentime she gives more room to the separatist than this…
AlbertanSays5716 on
Funny how she doesn’t talk much about how her meetings with Republicans and the Trump administration play into her not being interested in separation.
island-roamer on
She only has herself to blame. Alberta deserves better.
KelVarnsen_2023 on
As if the US would let them be an actual state.
Gecks777 on
I didn’t think the Americans could push their naked territorial ambitions so far that they would ever activate Danielle Smith’s patriotism, but it seems they’ve found a way!
Bessent was practically drooling when he talked about Alberta’s resources. Looked like a little kid about to tuck into a giant birthday cake. Then he said the quiet part out loud when he talked about “letting” an independent Alberta join the US. Whatever politics you believe in, I don’t think anyone watching his arrogant, greedy face as he made those comments saw anything other than an entitled, out-of-touch rich dude looking forward to stealing Alberta’s wealth.
I don’t think he was helping the separatist movement as much as he thought he was.
OverallElephant7576 on
This is her public statement, followed by a phone call to Bessent saying “that’s just theatre, give me a year and it’s yours as long as I can be governor” more than likely.
garrettfinstad on
It’s probably pointless to put this out there to my fellow Albertans who are already in that deep but I’ll put it out there anyway:
There is no true independent option. Alberta is an independent state for maybe 6 months before the United States annexes us. Putin started his invasion of Ukraine by annexing the most pro-Russia part of it first. Get your heads out of your asses. And stop voting governments in that make this series of events possible.
Educational-Tone2074 on
Her lips say “no” but her eyes say “yes.”
CasualFridayBatman on
If this is the case, why did she meet with Trump talking heads and various Republican party members in the handful of trips she’s taken to the US.
On top of giving the separatists a clear and resounding voice and making it easier for their petition to not only exist, but succeed?
In addition to that UCP AGM that was essentially just a separatists in UCP garb meeting?
I don’t believe her for a second. She is self serving and has been her entire career.
She can’t honestly believe that the US wouldn’t take advantage of gaining a new territory in an otherwise foreign nation, splitting it in two.
iAmMr_WHO on
Who tf would wanna join that lawless nazii ridden pedophile worshipping hell hole known as the USA?
MZillacraft3000 on
And why should we trust Smith now? Her actions tell everyone a very different story from what she says.
Onterrible_Trauma on
Smith is talking out both sides of her mouth, but at least this will piss off the Maple MAGA crowd.
amethyst-chimera on
I hate her so much
Chance-Curve-9679 on
Any move for any province to separate from Canada would mean that the Americans would almost certainly intervene and take over the area and they would quickly become an American territory. The reason why the dominant of Canada was formed was to guard against American annexation, which is just as much a threat today as over 150 years ago.
nim_opet on
Just a reminder that GOP is opposed to giving statehood to about 4 million U.S. citizens living in PR and DC, and would never in a million years give statehood to Alberta. At best, it would be a protectorate, like American Samoa.
Cloudboy9001 on
Does she think her gambit for leverage with the feds is getting too risky?
JurboVolvo on
There are major divides on this in Alberta. Wedge! Wedge! Wedge! Some want sovereignty from both Canada and the US. Some want to be Americans…
magictoasters on
Just to point out, the majority of the UCP board are separatists with the Alberta Prosperity Project, and Jeffrey Rath (one of the board members and heads of the APP) is actually the guy meeting with US politicians. So her statements should be taken with a heavy dose of salt
cre8ivjay on
Smith can’t have it both ways… She can’t kiss ass to Trump, stoke separatist/freedom movements, and then be like, “woah now!”
This is what really pisses me off about the UCP. They pander to the fringes and then act shocked when people buy into it.
Nonamanadus on
The reality is Alberta & Smith would see influence and power significantly degrade compared to the relationship with Ottawa.
An independent Alberta would see unwanted advances from the Americans, who would see the new nation as something to absorb. Texas didn’t last too long as a Republic.
flatulentbaboon on
> The quote from Modry: “So in my conversations with her, I’ve asked her the question, would she be willing to govern the sovereign country of Alberta as president or prime minister? And her comments be, ‘well, I don’t really like President, I prefer Prime Minister.'”
> Modry continued: “I asked her, or I stated, you know, during Brexit, David Cameron, who campaigned against Brexit, did the honorable thing. He resigned when Brexit was successful. And she said to me, ‘Well, I’m not going to David Cameron myself.’ So that obviously means she’d be willing to lead a sovereign country.”
From Lily Polenchuk’s twitter, a researcher of far right movements according to her bio. She got this from one of the petition signing locations where he was speaking about Danielle Smith. There’s also a voice recording of him actually saying those words but since I can’t link twitter I can’t share it.
Yunadan on
Even if Alberta wanted to separate, the First Nations Treaties essentially control more than 75% of all Alberta land, and have rejected any separation. Those treaties are non-negotiable.
FelixPotvin94 on
Sure she says that, but behind closed doors, she is licking the boot and begging to be invaded.
Cjarams1 on
Not her decision.
apothekary on
not cheerleading Smith here but that will not go over well with the separatist even if it’s theatre because what they really want is to sell themselves out to the US, not actually be an independent nation
LankyGuitar6528 on
Which side of her mouth is she talking out of today?
Infamous-Mixture-605 on
My brain immediately jumps to that Ron Burgundy “I don’t believe you” gif when she says she doesn’t support separatism.
31 Comments
Liberate this
Dani never tells the truth.
So according to Bessent, Albertans “want sovereignty” by…..becoming a US state?
Anybody got a non-paywalled version?
might be the first time i’ve seen her do this in any substantial way… oftentime she gives more room to the separatist than this…
Funny how she doesn’t talk much about how her meetings with Republicans and the Trump administration play into her not being interested in separation.
She only has herself to blame. Alberta deserves better.
As if the US would let them be an actual state.
I didn’t think the Americans could push their naked territorial ambitions so far that they would ever activate Danielle Smith’s patriotism, but it seems they’ve found a way!
Bessent was practically drooling when he talked about Alberta’s resources. Looked like a little kid about to tuck into a giant birthday cake. Then he said the quiet part out loud when he talked about “letting” an independent Alberta join the US. Whatever politics you believe in, I don’t think anyone watching his arrogant, greedy face as he made those comments saw anything other than an entitled, out-of-touch rich dude looking forward to stealing Alberta’s wealth.
I don’t think he was helping the separatist movement as much as he thought he was.
This is her public statement, followed by a phone call to Bessent saying “that’s just theatre, give me a year and it’s yours as long as I can be governor” more than likely.
It’s probably pointless to put this out there to my fellow Albertans who are already in that deep but I’ll put it out there anyway:
There is no true independent option. Alberta is an independent state for maybe 6 months before the United States annexes us. Putin started his invasion of Ukraine by annexing the most pro-Russia part of it first. Get your heads out of your asses. And stop voting governments in that make this series of events possible.
Her lips say “no” but her eyes say “yes.”
If this is the case, why did she meet with Trump talking heads and various Republican party members in the handful of trips she’s taken to the US.
On top of giving the separatists a clear and resounding voice and making it easier for their petition to not only exist, but succeed?
In addition to that UCP AGM that was essentially just a separatists in UCP garb meeting?
I don’t believe her for a second. She is self serving and has been her entire career.
She can’t honestly believe that the US wouldn’t take advantage of gaining a new territory in an otherwise foreign nation, splitting it in two.
Who tf would wanna join that lawless nazii ridden pedophile worshipping hell hole known as the USA?
And why should we trust Smith now? Her actions tell everyone a very different story from what she says.
Smith is talking out both sides of her mouth, but at least this will piss off the Maple MAGA crowd.
I hate her so much
Any move for any province to separate from Canada would mean that the Americans would almost certainly intervene and take over the area and they would quickly become an American territory. The reason why the dominant of Canada was formed was to guard against American annexation, which is just as much a threat today as over 150 years ago.
Just a reminder that GOP is opposed to giving statehood to about 4 million U.S. citizens living in PR and DC, and would never in a million years give statehood to Alberta. At best, it would be a protectorate, like American Samoa.
Does she think her gambit for leverage with the feds is getting too risky?
There are major divides on this in Alberta. Wedge! Wedge! Wedge! Some want sovereignty from both Canada and the US. Some want to be Americans…
Just to point out, the majority of the UCP board are separatists with the Alberta Prosperity Project, and Jeffrey Rath (one of the board members and heads of the APP) is actually the guy meeting with US politicians. So her statements should be taken with a heavy dose of salt
Smith can’t have it both ways… She can’t kiss ass to Trump, stoke separatist/freedom movements, and then be like, “woah now!”
This is what really pisses me off about the UCP. They pander to the fringes and then act shocked when people buy into it.
The reality is Alberta & Smith would see influence and power significantly degrade compared to the relationship with Ottawa.
An independent Alberta would see unwanted advances from the Americans, who would see the new nation as something to absorb. Texas didn’t last too long as a Republic.
> The quote from Modry: “So in my conversations with her, I’ve asked her the question, would she be willing to govern the sovereign country of Alberta as president or prime minister? And her comments be, ‘well, I don’t really like President, I prefer Prime Minister.'”
> Modry continued: “I asked her, or I stated, you know, during Brexit, David Cameron, who campaigned against Brexit, did the honorable thing. He resigned when Brexit was successful. And she said to me, ‘Well, I’m not going to David Cameron myself.’ So that obviously means she’d be willing to lead a sovereign country.”
From Lily Polenchuk’s twitter, a researcher of far right movements according to her bio. She got this from one of the petition signing locations where he was speaking about Danielle Smith. There’s also a voice recording of him actually saying those words but since I can’t link twitter I can’t share it.
Even if Alberta wanted to separate, the First Nations Treaties essentially control more than 75% of all Alberta land, and have rejected any separation. Those treaties are non-negotiable.
Sure she says that, but behind closed doors, she is licking the boot and begging to be invaded.
Not her decision.
not cheerleading Smith here but that will not go over well with the separatist even if it’s theatre because what they really want is to sell themselves out to the US, not actually be an independent nation
Which side of her mouth is she talking out of today?
My brain immediately jumps to that Ron Burgundy “I don’t believe you” gif when she says she doesn’t support separatism.