Alberta United Conservative Party members hooted and applauded when a delegate spoke in favour of the province becoming its own country at its annual general meeting. While the pro-Alberta autonomy policy resolution did pass, the crowd burst out cheering for ten seconds when a Spruce Grove-Stony Plain UCP member said it did not far enough. “I agree we should distance ourself from the federal government as much as possible, but the best way we can do that, and I’ve had this feeling since Pierre Trudeau was prime minister, is to become an independent Republic of Alberta,” said the UCP member in a Saturday speech at the AGM at Westerner Park in Red Deer. The Calgary-Hays Alberta UCP Constituency Association vice president of policy said the resolution was about ensursing the government continues to distance itself from the Canadian government as a productive member of Confederation. “Furthermore, any right given to another province should be a right given to Alberta,” said the vice president. “The rationale for this resolution is that any policy that was implemented outside Alberta that impedes good management and government on behalf of Albertans should be challenged at a constitutional level.” Innisfail-Sylvan Lake UCP member Cameron Galisky said he was a proud fifth generation central Albertan and has seen what has happened to Alberta in the past decades. “It’s happening with the current prime minister,” said Galisky. “We’re getting taken over the barrel.” Galisky said Alberta should continue to assert itself. In response, he called for people to vote in favour of the resolution. The Alberta Sovereignty Act (ASA) passed third reading in the legislature in 2022. .Smith's Sovereignty Act passes Alberta Legislature.Third reading on the ASA had been approved around 1 a.m. MST. “It's not like Ottawa is a national government,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
