Hundreds of Albertans participated in the third Alberta Next panel town hall, held in Edmonton on Thursday, where they voiced concerns about the cost of living, healthcare, and other issues.The meeting started at 6 p.m. and was held at the DoubleTree in West Edmonton.Smith and her panel of appointees — consisting of 16 politicians, medical professionals, business leaders, and experts — heard from the public about their concerns while discussing the panel's six topics on Alberta’s future.The six topics are: Federal transfers and equalization, Alberta Pension Plan (APP), constitutional changes, provincial police force, immigration, and tax collection.Smith kicked off the discussion by encouraging Albertans to bring their ideas forward..What happens to your pension if Alberta creates its own plan?.“If Canada is to be a strong and unified country, it must include a strong and sovereign Alberta within it, able to pursue its own potential without being held back by the country itself,” Smith said.“And that's why we've launched the Alberta Next panel, where your voice, your ideas, and your values will help to shape Alberta's road ahead. Regardless of what any one of us believes about these issues, or what path we think is best, we as Albertans must be able to respectfully debate and discuss these issues — here with our friends, with our family, with our neighbours.”Like in previous town halls, each topic was discussed after a short video, during which participants shared their concerns and ideas.Some participants asked tough questions, while others expressed support. At times, the discussion became heated, as some participants expressed dissatisfaction with the panel.One Edmontonian said that "now is the time to have respectful dialogue with Ottawa," citing the trade war with the United States.“My name is Greg. I'm a tech entrepreneur here in Edmonton, and I've founded and grown my businesses right here. And my response to the question is actually, in all six questions on the agenda tonight, is that Alberta doesn't really want you doing this right now. We don't want this,” a participant said..Alberta Next panel’s tax collection plan: Here's what you need to know.“We're worried about health, we're worried about education, and we're worried about poverty. Too many of our neighbours are living under a tarp to be talking about transfers. We're simply not concerned.”A participant brought up healthcare changes, advocating for universal coverage.That was when Smith said that there's a need to make adjustments due to federal defunding of certain vaccines."When I got elected as leader in February of 2023, I signed an agreement with the federal government for a long term, 10-year funding agreement, which committed to the principles of the Canada Health Act, which says no one can pay out of pocket for medically necessary care, which means doctors' visits and surgical visits," Smith said. "That's what I've signed on to it. That is what we've we have committed to the COVID shots were delisted. They were defunded by the federal government... And so, we had to make a choice about how to best provide those services to those who need them the most.".What happens if Alberta stops making the equalization payments?.Smith was also asked about independence, where she reiterated Alberta's sovereignty within a united Canada.One participant said that Albertans deserve transparency from Ottawa when it comes to taxes, while another said they shouldn't be paying as much tax, citing the lower tax rate compared to other provinces.Some participants criticized the idea of blaming immigration for straining the system, suggesting building more houses. One person said immigrants should be paying for healthcare. In response, Smith said the problem isn’t with immigrants, but with the number of people coming in.And when it came to having a separate police force, some voiced support, while others voiced concern over whether proper training would be in place.The Alberta-wide consultation is aimed to chart the province’s path, economy and sovereignty within Canada, reads the panel’s website.Smith’s panel will conduct in-person and online town halls throughout the summer to identify and review concerns and ideas that could be included in a 2026 referendum.The next town hall is scheduled to take place on Aug. 26 in Fort McMurray. To take part, you should register two weeks before the event. To register, visit this website..Alberta Next panel’s tax collection plan: Here's what you need to know.Due to a high level of spam content being posted in our comment section below, all comments undergo manual approval by a staff member during regular business hours (Monday - Friday). Your patience is appreciated.
