Danielle Smith faces criticism, anger at 2nd Alberta Next town hall in Edmonton

Premier Daniel Smith and his Alberta Next panel were in Edmonton on Wednesday for the second of a series of summer town halls. (Jason Franson/Canadian Press)

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After a warm welcome and widespread support just 24 hours earlier, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith faced a more critical and frustrated crowd at the second of a series of summer town halls as he and his select panel gathered in Edmonton.

“We look like spoiled brats,” said Roberta Stasik, a Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., resident who was among the many speakers who showed up to express their frustration.

Smith launched the panel to address public concerns about Premier Mark Carney's election victory — concerns that have led some to believe Alberta should secede from confederation.

The premier's staff said about 500 people attended the Edmonton town hall on Wednesday.

Unlike the Red Deer the night before, at least a third of the Edmonton crowd turned out to challenge Smith and the 15 other panelists on issues such as creating a provincial police force, amending the constitution and taking greater control over immigration.

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The Alberta Next panel held its first town hall in Red Deer on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the panel was in Edmonton to hear what residents want from the government. But Zhao was there.

Creating a provincial pension plan was a hot topic, and most of those who stood up to share their opinions said Smith should scrap the idea once and for all.

Stasik called it a “terrible idea,” while others challenged the benefits touted in a government-produced video that aired before the debate on the issue.

“A much smaller jurisdiction … leaves it much more exposed to market fluctuations, for one thing,” said Hans Smith, a professor emeritus at the University of Calgary, and also called on the panel to provide assurances that a provincial pension plan would not be used for ideological purposes.

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Another speaker, who identified himself only as Todd, told the panel that at the end of the day, he just wants a pension, but he doesn’t trust the Smith government to manage it.

“I can go with [the Canada Pension Plan], which is one of the most effective things in the world, or I can gamble with you idiots.”

“Alberta’s Grievances”

While the majority of speakers who lined up to discuss pension plans said they wanted to maintain the status quo, a poll found that a majority of the population was in favor of it.

The same thing happened when the idea of creating a provincial police force was floated — many spoke out against it, but a poll found that supporters were overwhelmingly in favor.

“We really need to have a police force that lives in our community, works with our people, and grows with and works with our communities,” said one supporter, Brian.

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The divisions in the room were palpable, with participants competing at every opportunity to ensure their boos or cheers prevailed.

While this was less common than at Tuesday’s town hall in Red Deer, some speakers in Edmonton used the opportunity to push for secession.

“Alberta’s grievances with Ottawa go back to before we were a province,” said one speaker, Kathy.

“Let’s just go ahead with a referendum on independence, crack open that constitution, and see where those talks take us.”

[A man in a cowboy hat speaks into a microphone at the Alberta Next town hall in Red Deer on July 15, as a question about equalization is displayed on a video screen behind him.]

A man speaks at the Alberta Next town hall in Red Deer on July 15, about how Alberta taxpayer dollars are being spent on other provinces. (Monty Kruger/CBC)

Other supporters of Alberta independence gathered outside, making sure those attending saw a large “Alberta Sovereignty Now” banner as they walked to their cars.

Also in the parking lot were two protesters, one holding a sign that read “I love [U.S. President Donald] Trump” and a large cardboard caricature of Smith.

“Hitting the underdogs”

Inside the ballroom of the Edmonton hotel where the town hall was held, Smith, at times, had to defend the issues his panel had gathered to discuss.

One suggestion, that Alberta create its own immigration permit system and deny health care and other provincial services to immigrants it doesn’t approve, prompted one speaker to ask why the premier was “hitting the underdogs.”

Smith was quick to say that wasn’t the case, adding that his government was simply trying to find a solution to high housing costs and “the increasing pressure on our social programs.”

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