This week’s Dumbass of the Week Award goes to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who fought back tears during a speech about Alberta’s place in Canada and asked, “Does this country actually want us?”
A haunting question. Someone should ask Ottawa once it finishes unloading the truck.
For 2026–27, Alberta is set to receive $9.2 billion in major federal transfers, including about $7 billion for health care and $2.2 billion for social programs. These are regular transfers for services Albertans use, not a personal gift basket for the premier. Alberta receives no equalisation payments.
Meanwhile, Ottawa has sent Alberta’s proposed West Coast pipeline to the Major Projects Office for review. That is not an approval. However, it is an odd way to tell a province to get lost.
Smith even acknowledged recent progress with Ottawa in the same speech, pointing to their energy agreement and work on the pipeline. She says she wants Alberta to remain in Canada. Fair enough. But it takes remarkable timing to ask whether Canada wants Alberta while listing the ways the two governments are working together.
Albertans can disagree with federal policies. Smith can make that case as loudly as she likes. A policy dispute deserves a real argument, though, not a scene in which an entire province is cast as the forgotten child at the family reunion.
Canada is holding the door open. Ottawa is still carrying in the boxes. The guest at the microphone is asking why nobody invited her.
Congratulations, Premier. Your Award is in the mail, and Ottawa has paid the postage.
I want to make this a weekly feature. Now taking suggesting for next week's recipient of this auspicious award.
Good call Bo. She is a Presto Manning acolyte and has always been a closet soft pedaling separatist. She pays the thinnest pursed lip service to Canada while propagating grievance in the face of facts and enabling separatists at every turn. She’s now transparent in this.