Premier Danielle Smith and the Alberta Next panel answered some tough questions regarding the future of the province in Confederation during a town hall in Lloydminster on Wednesday night, where she was joined by 15 other speakers from across Alberta’s academic, business, and political sectors.The night kicked off with a discussion on equalization payments and Albertan sovereignty when an attendee pressed Smith on whether she would call a referendum on independence by May 1, 2026, in light of the Alberta Prosperity Project having hundreds of thousands of signatures on a petition to force a referendum..Alberta Next panel discusses pensions, immigration, and federal policies in Fort Mac.Smith reiterated her previous stance of supporting Alberta sovereignty within a united Canada.She added that she sees unprecedented unity among provincial premiers in pushing back against federal overreach, and mentioned comparisons to the European Union’s model of national autonomy within a cooperative framework.Most of the people in attendance were predominantly in agreement with the six topics on the docket, such as creating a provincial police force and constitutional changes, with in-person straw polls seeing attendees approve the panel’s proposals in large numbers.Regarding equalization, an audience member argued that what frustrates many Albertans is how some provinces, through their Crown corporations, keep things like electricity prices artificially low, which reduces their reported revenues while still qualifying them for equalization — Quebec being a main culprit that was cited.University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe said that while Quebec’s hydroelectricity generates billions annually, “they maintain the country’s lowest power prices, and even a modest two-cent increase in their rates could reduce its equalization payments by more than $4 billion.”“Without a fixed equalization pool, the payment could drop by another $4.2 billion. Essentially, Quebec’s choice to keep power prices low results in reduced resource revenues, which distorts the equalization formula.”Michael Binnion, President and founding shareholder of Questerre Energy, concurred, arguing that the “grand bargain” of equalization — supporting smaller provinces to avoid federal interference in provincial jurisdiction — had been broken by Ottawa’s policies, illustrated by things such as cancelled energy sector projects..Cost of living, immigration spark criticism at latest Alberta Next town hall in Edmonton.An interesting conversation during the evening was on Senate reform when audience member Vicki Dutton raised the issue, advocating for a Triple-E Senate — equal, elected, and effective.She urged Alberta to take the lead in pushing for constitutional reform, calling it “essential” to address what she described as a “parliamentary dictatorship” based in the concentrated powers of the Prime Minister.In response, Premier Smith noted the American system served as a model for such discussions, where every state — regardless of size — has equal representation in the Senate.“Rhode Island has the same number of senators as California, and somehow that works for America,” she said.“But, can you really imagine Quebec agreeing to have the same number of senators as PEI?”Dutton said she believed “all Canadians are being denied by the Constitution as it currently stands,” arguing that citizens across the country have a stake in reform, not just Albertans.“I believe we’ve basically got a city-state as it sits now, the decisions are made in Toronto before they reach us.”Smith stated she had been open to abolishing the Senate altogether in the past.She pointed to alternative models, citing former politicians Preston Manning and Ted Morton, who proposed regional representation rather than equal seats for every province..WATCH: Alberta Next panel floats working with provinces to amend Constitution .Immigration was another flashpoint, as in previous town halls, with one questioner asking if Smith would consider “entering a state of emergency” and cut social services to new immigrants to deter them from coming to Alberta.Smith said Section 95 of the Constitution establishes concurrent jurisdiction between the provinces and the federal government, “but over time the balance has been completely reversed.”“Instead of the provinces exercising their role, Ottawa has taken on nearly all the responsibility, leaving the provinces with almost none. In my view, that’s a misreading and a misapplication of the Constitution,” she said.“Alberta should also be responsible for issuing temporary work permits, bringing in newcomers to fill gaps on either a temporary or permanent basis, and nominating candidates for permanent residency. The federal government, meanwhile, should focus on decisions about citizenship.”.UPDATED: Smith opens door to independence referendum, will chair 'Alberta Next Panel' in escalating pushback against Ottawa .Late in the evening, a concerned firearms owner pressed Smith on Ottawa’s gun control measures, stating federal policies had turned him into “a criminal overnight,” and linked his experiences to recent high-profile self-defence incidents, such as the home invasion in Lindsay, Ont.He asked where an Alberta provincial police force would stand when it came to supporting legal gun owners.Smith reiterated that her government still intends to push back against Ottawa’s confiscation program.“We’ve told municipalities: no, you can’t have a handgun ban,” she reiterated.“We told the RCMP: no, you cannot participate in the confiscation scheme. We’ve told our sheriffs that. We’ve told municipal forces that if they want to participate, they would need a permit from the Justice Minister, and I have it on good authority that he will not say yes.“In short, you’ll see us and Saskatchewan doing whatever we can to make sure we’re defending firearms owners’ rights,” Smith concluded.
