Say No to the 9

On October 13, advance voting will begin on Alberta's referendum.

Most of the attention has focused on Question 10, the separation question. That's understandable. It is the most dramatic question on the ballot. But Albertans should pay close attention to the first 9 questions as well.

The first 9 questions tell a story crafted by the UCP government. They suggest that Alberta's problems are caused by immigrants, Ottawa, federal institutions, courts, or other Canadians. They encourage people to look outward for someone to blame, instead of demanding solutions from our provincial government.

Nobody comes up to me in Sherwood Park to ask about constitutional reform. People ask about utility bills, health care, overcrowded classrooms, supports for people with disabilities, and when the promised expansion of the Strathcona Community Hospital will finally happen. Those are the issues that matter to Albertans. The UCP has had seven years to address these challenges and has failed to do so. It is time for a better government.

Albertans want the provincial government to focus on provincial priorities not some imaginary threat that new people to Alberta (who we invited here) are somehow the cause of problems that could be addressed by a more competent provincial government.

The Premier wants Albertans to believe newcomers are responsible for overcrowded classrooms, long health-care wait times, pressure on housing, and rising costs. The reality is much simpler. The provincial government knew Alberta was growing and failed to build enough schools, hospital beds, and public infrastructure to keep pace.

Growth drives our prosperity and strengthens our society. Immigrants choose Alberta to build lives here, contribute to our economy, work in our communities, and raise families.

Everyone deserves access to health care, and every child deserves an education. Public health care and public education are not rewards for citizenship. They are foundational services that strengthen our communities.

Newcomers already pay taxes. Denying their children access to schools or charging extra fees for health care will simply create bigger problems and greater societal costs down the road.

Questions 5 through 9 suffer from the same problem, but with different scapegoats. Whether it is adding barriers to voting, changing the role of federal judges, killing the Senate, or reopening constitutional debates, these questions offer no practical solution to the challenges Albertans face every day. They are designed to give the UCP a reason to keep fighting with Ottawa instead of working on the affairs of our province.

Taken together, the first 9 questions move Alberta further away from the values that have made Canada successful: fairness, welcoming of newcomers, universal public services, democratic participation, independent courts, and strong national institutions. The first 9 questions are separation in slow motion.

The government is spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a referendum built on false premises. To justify the separation question, the UCP first tries to convince Albertans that Canada is the problem. Those millions could be better spent fixing health care, improving education, and helping families struggling with rising costs. Albertans should reject this narrative by voting no to the 9.

We can be proud Albertans and proud Canadians. We can stand up for Alberta's interests while remaining committed to a strong Canada. And we can demand practical solutions instead of political scapegoating.

That's why my message is simple: I am voting no to the 9 and yes to remaining in Canada.