Smith says 22% backing in latest referendum polls is 'still too high for my comfort'

CALGARY — With the Alberta provincial referendum just around the corner, more and more questions about the future of Alberta have been asked of Premier Danielle Smith.At a press conference in Calgary on Monday, Smith was asked a multitude of questions about the upcoming referendum and the independence issue more broadly.One reporter asked the premier if she felt there were any parallels to be drawn between the upcoming vote and the 2016 Brexit referendum.The premier said that she agreed with former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who stated, during a conference in Calgary also on Monday, that there are inherently massive differences between the United Kingdom voting to leave a trading union and Alberta voting to leave Confederation.Smith mentioned the report done by the University of Calgary about the economic cost of independence, adding that the UK did not have to create new federal services when it left the European Union, but a hypothetical independent Alberta would.."We'd end up with a minimum of $350 billion of debt and could end up with $400 billion worth of debt," Smith said. "So, I think people need to understand that because we have institutions that would be to be created from scratch, that would be a very costly venture."When asked if she was worried if anger would sway the votes during the referendum, she acknowledged that many Albertans had genuine and justified anger at the previous federal government. However, she noted that Prime Minister Mark Carney has acted in good faith and pointed to the recent partnership as an example of federalism working to the benefit of the province and the country."Albertans have a reason to be angry because of some of the policy decisions that were made in the previous ten years," she said."But I also recognize that with the new prime minister, he's acknowledged that too, and he has worked with us to repeal a lot of the bad laws that were impacting us, to work with us on the development of a West Coast pipeline, and an MOU to work with us on projects like this, a housing initiative, a wastewater treatment initiative."."We are demonstrating that this kind of bilateral federalism is exactly how our country is supposed to work."The premier also brought up recent polling showing a stagnant or shrinking percentage of Albertans saying they intend to vote for a separation referendum, noting the success in shrinking the number but adding the number still remains too high."The most recent poll, I think, we saw, had 72% of Albertans who are intending to vote remain; I think 22% have said that they are intending to vote to start the process to leave.""Twenty-two per cent is still too high for my comfort; I don't like the fact that a quarter of our fellow Albertans are feeling that disheartened by our relationship with Canada."Smith took some of the blame for this number in support of beginning the independence process, saying that she has "got to do a lot more work" on convincing that quarter that remaining a part of Canada is the best option for the province..The premier again gave kudos to the current federal government, saying she has seen a "major reach out on the part of Ottawa" to fix some of the grievances that have built up in Alberta over the last decade."I think the prime minister is doing it (reaching out) in good faith, and I hope it has an impact on election day."When asked about what she will say to those who have said the independence issue won't go away regardless of the result of the October 19 referendum, Smith stated that whoever is on the losing side of the debate will "have to listen to the will of Albertans.""I don't want to pre-judge the outcome; I know there's a lot of work I still need to do to convince Albertans, a certain portion of them, that Canada can work."'This is a new era in our relationship with Canada, and a positive one, not only for us but for the entire country."

Smith says 22% backing in latest referendum polls is 'still too high for my comfort'

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