CALGARY — Premier Danielle Smith hopes that Alberta’s October 19 referendum will drive support for independence back into the single digits in the polls.Smith made the comments Tuesday in Calgary after being asked what level of support for remaining in Canada would be strong enough to settle the long-running independence debate.“We've always had some kind of separatist strain, as far as I’ve seen in the polls, going back to the first separatist movement in 1982. Then Brian Mulroney came in and reversed the National Energy Program, and I think supportwent down to single digits. I didn’t hear about it for a number of years,” she told reporters.“I guess what I would hope is that we'd be able to go back to that kind of level, where support is in the single digits.”However, she acknowledged that not everyone who is considering option two — a vote for Alberta to leave Canada — is totally committed to independence.“I know there are a lot of Albertans who are voting the way they are for different reasons, but I would say that there's a very large number who are just mad and want to have some way of expressing it,” Smith said.“I keep telling them the best way to express it is to give me a mandate on those other nine questions. The same goes forleverage. I keep hearing that they think a high vote for independence will give me leverage, but I say I think we have better leverage by saying that we want to work on these nine things together.”.MORGAN: The University of Calgary’s assessment of Alberta’s independence costs is the least flawed to date.A recent Abacus Data poll from September 11 found that 64% of respondents would vote to remain in Canada, while 24% would vote to start the process toward independence.Smith also stated that the independence debate has been the most difficult internal challenge she has faced as UCP leader.“I think I've demonstrated that I’ve made sure that people feel heard and that I’ve done everything I can to address their issues and keep them on board. I think I've demonstrated that I've been able to do that so far,” she said.“This is probably my greatest challenge. There's no question about it. It’s very easy for a conservative movement to focus on the one thing we disagree on that splits us apart. I have always encouraged our members to focus on the things that unite us because we've got a great story to tell.”Finance Minister Jason Nixon (Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre) also predicted that many rural Albertans will surprise observers by rejecting independence in October.“The majority of Albertans are not going to vote to leave the country on October 19,” Nixon said.“It’s a mistake to think that all rural Albertans are in that camp.”He said that rural communities such as the ones he represents have been disproportionately affected by the Liberal government’s policies, which have contributed to anger toward Ottawa..Federalist, pro-independence figures speak out in response to Globe editorial on Alberta independence.However, he argued that frustration should not be confused with a settled desire to abandon Canada.“Most people in my community really love their country. They're concerned about things that have been taking place and want to make sure that those issues are addressed,” Nixon stated.“[The vote] is not breaking down, in my view, along traditional lines. You see a lot of variation among age groups. Most of the seniors I represent definitely want to remain in Canada, and I represent a lot of seniors in rural Alberta. I don't think this is necessarily a strictly rural Alberta divide.”Nixon added that the best thing the government can do is “just go out and lay out the facts” and be transparent with Albertans.“How I deal with this is I go home and show my community what's working — the West Coast Pipeline, the memorandum of understanding and the reduction of bad laws, which is going to help us move forward. And that's working,” he said.“We're happy to trust Albertans to make this decision because Albertans are smart, and they're going to make the right decision on October 19.”
