EDMONTON – Premier Danielle Smith responded with disgust after former Premier Rachel Notley and former Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk both made references to Nazi tactics when referring to her rhetoric regarding federal immigration policies. "That's gross. It's just disgusting," said Smith in a press conference on Friday. "Any mention to if you're going to call somebody a Nazi, you better be referring to the Holocaust and the devastation that that caused to the Jewish people."Her comments came in response to a Western Standard request for comment on accusations made by Notley and Lukaszuk on Friday. .The accusations came after Smith addressed Albertans on Thursday, blaming mass immigration and low oil prices for Alberta's multi-billion-dollar deficit, and scheduled a referendum on whether the provincial government should advocate for stricter provincial control over immigration."First they came for the trans people. Then they came for the unionized workers. Next it was judges. Now it's immigrants," wrote Notley in a Facebook post on Friday. "If you think that you or someone you love won't be next, you're sorely mistaken."Notley's comments refer to a piece written by German pastor Martin Niemoller, who spent eight years in Nazi prisons and concentration camps."First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist," wrote Niemoller. "Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me."She claimed that Smith is blaming immigrants to shift the focus away from her own failures."Our schools are not struggling because there are too many English language learners. Our schools are struggling because the UCP funds education at the lowest rate in Canada," Notley said."Yet if even one in ten Albertans buys into Smith’s tactic of blaming each-other, my heart hurts at the prospect of a child being sent into school holding this kind of hate for their schoolmates.".Lukaszuk did not mince words when talking about Smith's approach."Immigrants are not Alberta’s problem. They’re here legally. They’re the ones serving you coffee at Timmies. Immigrants are the engine of our economy. They’re start most small businesses," wrote Lukaszuk in a Facebook post on Friday."But there is a pattern. Populist governments need a scapegoat, a culprit, an 'out-group.' For Hitler it was Jews, for Trump it’s Latinos. In Rwanda it was the Tutsis. It’s an un-Canadian and deplorable political strategy."Smith said on Friday that Nazi accusations and other hateful remarks have no place in this debate."That is disgusting language, and it should never be used," Smith said. "If they want to have a serious conversation about immigration levels, let's have it. That's what a referendum is all about.".Smith has said that holding a referendum on immigration and seeking to drastically lower Canada's immigration levels are her actions in response to the directive given by Albertans in the Alberta Next survey.The referendum will also address whether Albertans believe that temporary foreign workers and other non-permanent immigrants should be charged for access to social services, such as healthcare."We are asking Albertans if they want to have a system that puts Alberta's citizens as well as permanent residents, first when it comes to taxpayer-funded programs, and then have reasonable premiums and the ability of those who are temporary to access the programs with their own resources," Smith said.The referendum on immigration and other key issues is scheduled for October 19.
