EDMONTON — The Alberta NDP have called for Premier Danielle Smith to remove MLA Jason Stephan from the UCP caucus on Friday, as they reacted to the MLA's support for an Alberta independence referendum. "Today, Premier Smith’s hand-picked Parliamentary Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, MLA Jason Stephan, confirmed he is a separatist in an opinion piece he wrote for a right-wing media outlet," wrote Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition Rakhi Pancholi in a statement on Friday. "He ignored all the concerns raised by Alberta businesses that even the prospect of a separatism referendum is freezing investment and negatively affecting our economy. He encourages voters to sign the separatist referendum petition and demand a referendum." .Pancholi was referring to an opinion article written by Stephan and published by the Western Standard on Friday, entitled, "A referendum on independence is good for Alberta." Stephan laid out his reasons for why Alberta needs a referendum on Alberta independence and called on Albertans to sign the Stay Free Alberta petition. "There are serious concerns, which are articulated in the article, with the status quo," said Stephan in an interview with the Western Standard on Friday. "So I really the I love the citizen initiative act, and I love Albertans having a say, because the status quo is absolutely unacceptable, and if Albertans don't sign the petition, there will be no vote." Stephan said supporting Alberta independence is not a prerequisite for signing the petition, but doing so will give them the opportunity to eventually have a say on the matter. "It gives you an opportunity to actually make a decision on that in the future, and then each Albertan would decide on the objective merits," Stephan said. "What produces freedom and prosperity for him or herself and their families? That's really the criteria.""There may be good people that will look at that and reach a different conclusion using that criteria, and that's fine, but a vote is really good. I would love to see a referendum on this, and that was the purpose of the article.".For months, the Alberta NDP have been on a mission to get Smith to shut down an Alberta independence petition and subsequent referendum, claiming that the large majority of Albertans do not want to leave Canada and the only supporters are a minority that is also the core of the UCP's backers. "Not one UCP MLA has publicly signed a pledge confirming their commitment to Canada and denouncing separatism," Pancholi wrote. "That’s because there are separatists in the UCP caucus, and the Premier knows it. Today’s statement from MLA Jason Stephen confirms it."Instead, Smith has maintained that Albertans have the democratic right to vote on issues they are passionate about. “The premier has always been clear that she, the Alberta government and our United Conservative caucus support a strong and sovereign Alberta within a United Canada," wrote the Premier's office's press secretary, Sam Blackett, in a statement to the Western Standard."This means Alberta remaining a province of Canada while advancing provincial autonomy and fighting to undo Ottawa policies that harm Albertans and intrude on our constitutional rights."Pancholi seems to believe cracks in the UCP caucus are showing. "This separatist premier, separatist government and separatist UCP caucus have shown their true colours time and time again," Pancholi wrote. "They do not believe in our province being an essential, strong part of our country. They reject the country that Albertans are proud to be part of.".Smith has previously said that no members of the UCP caucus, that she is aware of, have signed the petition, nor do they support Alberta independence.Members of the UCP caucus have all primarily repeated different renditions of the line, "We support a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada," saying they do not believe Alberta should remain in Canada, but that the province does need to gain more power at the same time. "Individual MLAs are welcome to differ in their personal opinions, but the position of the government and caucus are clear," Blackett wrote.On Friday, the Western Standard asked Stephan, "Do you agree with the premier that the best thing for Alberta is to stay within United Canada?" "Well, I think that each Albertan should reach that conclusion for him or herself," Stephan said in response. The Western Standard then asked Stephan, "If there was a referendum tomorrow, how would you be voting in it?" "I would decide on the objective merits," Stephan said. "What produces freedom and prosperity. But I will say this, I mean, the status quo, I mean, it is not looking good for Canada."Stephan's article has led some to believe that Smith's claims of a united UCP caucus may soon be put to the test, which is likely why Pancholi challenged her on Friday."The premier, who pretends she is not a separatist, must unequivocably denounce her Parliamentary Secretary’s separatist position, today," Pancholi wrote. "She must remove MLA Stephan and any other UCP MLAs who support separatism from her government caucus immediately.” "The Alberta NDP do not support direct democracy, they fear it," Blackett wrote. "The reality is that the Opposition Leader is desperately trying to boost his failing poll numbers by willfully misleading and fear-mongering Albertans. It’s shameful and irresponsible.”.Though she is in favour of Alberta remaining in Canada, Smith has said she understands why many Albertans have lost faith in Canada after years of disrespect under Justin Trudeau, but her job is to help them regain that trust. Stephan's article, however, suggests some things may never be fixed. "Albertans are producers, rejecting socialist and woke values that produce nothing," Stephan wrote in his article. "Many in Ottawa resent Alberta, imposing policies that single it out, seeking to attack, hold back, or drag Alberta down." "Premier Danielle Smith has made progress on rolling back some of these hostile policies, including the so-called '9 Bad Laws.' But this rollback is partial, motivated out of a bankrupt Ottawa’s desperate need for Alberta’s money and not out of a desire to treat Alberta fairly, and always subject to reinstatement should any prime minister choose to abuse power in hostile ways towards Alberta. We know this because that is how the '9 Bad Laws' were forced onto Albertans in the first place."Stephan expanded on this point when speaking with the Western Standard. "There are just some very troubling things, and you know, I hope for the good of families and individuals who live in Canada that there isn't any more stupid and destructive policies and laws that come out of Ottawa," Stephan said. "But, unfortunately, we continue to see that, even today."You know, I appreciate there's some positive things that have happened, but yet, we see other stupid things that are happening."He pointed to the current Supreme Court case regarding Quebec's use of the notwithstanding clause, and to the federal government's decision to appeal Justin Trudeau's use of the Emergencies Act and the "abuse of power" that came with it. Stephan also said "disparaging" remarks directed at U.S. President Donald Trump were "not the smartest thing in the world to do," leading into upcoming trade negotiations. .In the article, Stephan also made a statement about equalization payments that supporters often use in favour of Alberta independence."Just imagine if Albertans did not have to provide tens of billions every year that Ottawa spends and often wastes outside Alberta?" Stephan said."Would Alberta have a deficit? Would Alberta have more capacity to fund public services? How much could we cut taxes for Albertans?"Pointing to the country's unwillingness to negotiate on equalization payments after Albertans voted to end them in 2021, and imbalance in how federal government elections disfavour Alberta, Stephan reitterated another oftenly used pro-independence argument. "Canada’s Constitution is RIGGED against Alberta, and that will NEVER change," Stephan wrote in the article.He later doubled down on his comments during his interview with the Western Standard. "You know, the list goes on and on, and unfortunately, there's also some structural things where Albertans really get taken advantage of in a material way too, and I don't see any evidence of that being changed, unfortunately," Stephan said. .Stephan closed his article by asking Albertans not to get scared away by the "gaslighting" and "fearmongering" that will try to stop them. "The Ottawa Establishment does not want Albertans to have a referendum on independence," Stephan wrote in the article. "The status quo is their licence to continue to abuse Alberta businesses and workers.""Albertans should not expect to hear from them about how Alberta has it so good in Canada. The hard facts do not support this." Pancholi turned to some of those tactics when responding to Stephan's story. "Albertans are clear – they are proud Canadians," Pancholi wrote in her statement. "They know that we get more done when Alberta leads Canada, than if we leave Canada.""Alberta’s New Democrats believe in building up Alberta and Canada, because our love for this province and this remarkable country is unbreakable."
