Premier Danielle Smith promised Albertans that her Conservative government would take back control of Alberta Health Services (AHS) and protect them from leaders and bureaucrats in other regulatory bodies that impede rights and free speech. By now Smith has proven in many ways she doesn’t make promises lightly. Anyone who opposes her — and the Albertans who support her that she vowed to represent — would be foolish to underestimate her courage and resolve.But Smith faces a fierce battle that behind the scenes is likely bigger, more sinister and threatening that we could imagine.There’s a lot of powerful, deep-rooted rot to clean up.As formidable and determined as Smith is, as good as her word is, the seething, conniving forces who work against her don’t want to relinquish the power they hold — or have limits placed on wasted spending that she’s been chipping away at.It started when she fired the AHS board in November 2022.At a UCP town hall in Drayton Valley on August 17, Smith said she’ll continue to restructure health care in Alberta by removing AHS as the operator of some hospitals and turn them over to other operators like Covenant Health to achieve better health care results.In a nutshell, the provincial government will retain ownership of several medical facilities, leasing them to AHS, while taking away “their authority” that has proven damaging and inadequate on so many levels.Both moves benefit Albertans, and the dedicated, principled professionals who serve them — neither of whom have been served well by the too powerful, politicized AHS.Smith made it clear she’s not done yet.She recently confirmed that the Alberta government is exploring legislation to prevent regulatory colleges from punishing people for their political views. She cited the shocking punitive attack on psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson upheld by the Supreme Court.Smith also vowed to protect parental rights seized by the ideologically corrupt Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) that promotes the sexualization of children who are sitting targets in classrooms. Smith enraged gender activists when she said she’d protect children from predatory trans indoctrination in schools and sterilization and irreversible body mutilations.She was attacked by both Alberta doctors and Alberta Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault who said the federal government will “look at every single option” to stop her efforts to protect children from being butchered.Smith’s opponents who don’t fight fair, attack her from all sides to crush her efforts, using the massive taxpayer dollars they have at their disposal for legal battles and intimidation tactics.Alberta parents, teachers, doctors, other medical professionals and children under their thumbs be damned. There are well-paid positions to protect and twisted globalist ideologies to ram down Albertans throats. Their mission is to destroy Smith’s credibility, to usurp the power handed to her by Alberta voters.That includes the ATA, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) that answers to no one, and Canada’s version of the deep state that includes members of her own party beholden to them, those who embrace the Trudeau government’s attack on rights and freedoms, and NDP diehards who live and breathe socialism that are prowling government and professional regulatory body corridors.Smith also promised she would listen to Albertans. That explains her August 27th survey. It’s subject was, "I’m concerned about free speech — are you?" and it was asking Albertans to let her know if they stand with her and if she’s on the right track.“It sure feels like free speech is under threat in Canada and around the world lately, and that’s just not something we can ignore,” it states.“Take what’s happening with Dr. Jordan Peterson. He was ordered by the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario to undergo mandatory social media re-education. I think it’s becoming clear that this is overreach, and we need to take action to protect our rights.”“I’m committed to making sure that professional colleges focus on their essential responsibilities — ensuring competence and ethics — rather than policing what people think or say.”“If we have to legislate to protect your right to free speech, then that’s exactly what we’ll do. This isn’t just about one case; it’s about making sure every Albertan can speak their mind without fear.”“But I need to know — do you stand with me on this? … Vote now and tell me if I’m on the right track with this.”Smith clearly expressed her intent to use the law to protect those serving Albertans who have been under attack. But this is no time for Smith to be timid or polite. She must convey to these self-serving bullies that the gloves are off, and they will face consequences. But that’s not exactly the message this somewhat timidly worded, polite survey delivered.A survey showing results that Albertans back her is ammo she needs to charge on.But does this survey unwittingly indicate that the Conservative government still, after all this time, doesn’t know what Albertans want? How could that possibly be?Was Brandon Pringle, who unsuccessfully ran under the Solidarity Movement of Alberta banner in the 2023, right to be so “infuriated” that a reply to Smith “leapt out of me like a raging forest fire,” as he wrote in a Substack column?“It is wonderful to send out a survey, but with all due respect, grace, and love, you should not be polling,” he wrote.“You should just LEAD from the front. The leader is supposed to ALREADY KNOW what the right thing to do is and just do it.”“Tell all the bureaucrats what they are going to do from now on. IF they don’t immediately get on board — FIRE THEM. FIRE THEM ALL. If the President of Argentina, Javier Milei can do this — so can you.”“I hope this makes you mad. I hope it makes you mad enough to want to prove me wrong.”Smith will prove him wrong.Pringle understandably speaks for most frustrated Albertans who want immediate results, a quick fix to years of damaging policies and power seized by grifters and ideologues that highjacked what they want and what is best for them and their children.But it is time for the Conservatives to read them the riot act and go on an all-out major offensive in what really is a raging war over what our culture is going to be.Smith has said her government will seek the “authority from Albertans to go forward and make these changes.”The question is not do Albertans “stand” with her. The question is, how will they show they back her? For Albertans too, this is no time to be polite or timid. It is time to roar. And that goes beyond responding to a survey. It requires speaking up boldly in whatever corner one inhabits.And it certainly isn’t time to suggest Smith contemplate quitting. She’s only getting started in winning the battle for Alberta that she faces on several fronts.It isn’t her battle to fight alone.
