CALGARY — Premier Danielle Smith declined to say whether independence supporters will be forced out of the United Conservative Party (UCP) if Albertans vote to remain in Canada in Monday’s referendum, despite acknowledging that loyalty to a united Canada was among the party’s founding principles.Speaking to reporters Friday at the Canada Strong and Free Network’s annual conference in Calgary, the premier was repeatedly pressed on whether UCP supporters who back independence would remain welcome in the party, following former premier Jason Kenney’s recent comments that they should be expelled.Smith suggested that some Albertans who recently embraced the independence movement could reconsider their position following the October 19 vote.“There are some people who are recent separatists. They were not separatists 18 months ago,” Smith stated.“And so perhaps they can be persuaded...and some of their core issues [addressed]. There are some, I know, who are just wanting to express their anger. And so once they've had a chance to do that, that gives another chance to regroup.”.Smith shoots back to Carney: 'Vote yes to the nine'.Kenney, who helped establish the UCP in 2017, recently argued that members whose primary objective is Alberta independence should form their own political party focused on sovereignty, rather than remain within the governing UCP.“We're gonna fight really hard to make sure that our constitutional sovereignty is protected. That has what has been my guiding principle, that is what I campaigned on,” Smith told reporters.“If we get the affirmation that this is a core principle, that the public wants us to maintain, we'll maintain that core principle because it is foundational to our party. I want to give everybody a chance to reflect on what it means.”Asked whether she would consider screening out candidates who support independence or expelling members who violate the party’s principles, the premier declined to make any commitments before the referendum.“I don’t want to prejudge how people are going to interpret the results on Monday,” she said.“I just would rather you maybe ask me that on October 20th, once I have a chance to see what people’s reaction is.”Smith also raised the possibility that as many as one million Albertans could vote in favour of beginning the process toward a future binding independence referendum.“If there is a million people who vote for option two, then my job as premier is to find out why they still feel that way and address their meaningful issues in a way that's going to bring them on board with understanding the country," she said.
