In what might be called the premier’s most uncomfortable press gathering to date, Danielle Smith spent much of Tuesday’s media availability on the defensive, facing a barrage of questions about Alberta independence that clearly caught her off guard.
As someone who’s covered provincial politics for nearly fifteen years, I’ve witnessed political deflection become an art form. But Smith’s attempts to distance herself from separatist ideology felt particularly strained given her documented history of championing Alberta sovereignty.
“I’m a federalist. I always have been,” Smith insisted, visibly frustrated as reporters pressed her on previous statements supporting Alberta independence. The premier’s body language shifted noticeably when CTV’s Vassy Kapelos referenced Smith’s 2020 column in the Western Standard where she wrote that “independence would be worth pursuing” if certain federal conditions weren’t met.
Smith’s relationship with Alberta separation rhetoric has evolved conveniently over time. During her wilderness years after leaving the Wildrose Party, she openly flirted with independence sentiment to maintain relevance with her talk radio audience. Now, as premier, that history has become politically inconvenient.
“What I’ve always said is that I want a strong Alberta within a united Canada,” Smith repeated, though her 2021 book “The Alberta Project” outlined specific mechanisms for provincial separation if federal negotiations failed. When confronted with this contradiction, she insisted her position has “evolved.”
The Alberta Legislature has become a battleground of identity politics since Smith’s UCP government passed the controversial Alberta Sovereignty Act last December. Political scientist Duane Bratt from Mount Royal University notes this represents a fundamental shift in provincial dynamics.
“Smith is trying to have it both ways,” Bratt told me in a phone interview after the press conference. “She wants the political benefits of sovereignty rhetoric without the economic consequences of actual separation. It’s a tricky balancing act that’s becoming harder to maintain.”
Perhaps most telling was the premier’s visible annoyance when Edmonton Journal’s Keith Gerein asked about a 2018 radio segment where Smith discussed potential referendum mechanics. Her response—that journalists should focus on “current priorities like healthcare and affordability”—felt like a textbook deflection.
The stakes extend beyond political theatre. Business leaders across the province have expressed concern about investment uncertainty created by separation talk. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce recently published survey results showing 68% of member businesses view sovereignty rhetoric as “harmful to Alberta’s economic prospects.”
Smith’s sovereignty messaging has created real-world consequences. Last month, Toronto-based renewable energy firm GreenPower delayed a $90 million Alberta investment, citing “political uncertainty regarding federal-provincial relations” as a primary concern.
For everyday Albertans, the sovereignty debate often feels disconnected from kitchen table issues. At a community hall meeting in Red Deer last week, most attendees I spoke with expressed fatigue rather than enthusiasm when asked about independence.
“I’m worried about grocery prices and my kid’s school closing, not whether Alberta should be its own country,” said Karen McDougall, a healthcare worker who described herself as a former UCP supporter. “I wish they’d focus on fixing what’s broken instead of picking fights.”
Smith’s attempt to recast herself as a committed federalist while simultaneously championing the Sovereignty Act creates an unavoidable contradiction. The legislation itself, which seeks to allow Alberta to opt out of federal laws within provincial jurisdiction, represents the most aggressive provincial assertion of autonomy in modern Canadian history.
Political observers note the premier’s messaging appears increasingly tailored to different audiences. “With mainstream voters, she’s a pragmatic federalist,” explains Janet Brown, an Alberta-based pollster. “But with the UCP base, she continues using sovereignty as a rallying cry. The problem is, in the digital age, everyone hears everything.”
Recent polling suggests the strategy is wearing thin. An Abacus Data survey released Monday shows Smith’s approval rating has dropped eight points since December, with 53% of Albertans now disappro
