United Conservatives express patriotism after MLA supports separatist petition

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her United Conservative government spoke of their unwavering love for Canada on Monday as the Opposition NDP accused them of harbouring a separatist.

“It’s rich to have them (the NDP) questioning (our) patriotism when we just recently sang the national anthem in this chamber together,” Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams told the house amidst noisy heckling in question period session.

“On this side of the house, we love our country.”

Smith reiterated her long-standing support for what she calls a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.

“That means Alberta stays a province in Canada, and we address the very real grievances that people have about the way we’ve been treated by the federal government,” she said.

The debate came just days after UCP backbencher Jason Stephan, in a column in the media outlet Western Standard, pushed for Albertans to sign a petition calling for a referendum on separatism.

Stephan wrote that a referendum is about holding the federal government accountable. He declined to stop to answer questions from reporters on his way into the house Monday.

NDP deputy leader Rakhi Pancholi told the house Stephan’s statements prove Smith’s caucus harbours separatists, that the UCP is a “separatist party” and she reiterated a call for him to be removed from the UCP benches.

“If the premier won’t remove the MLA for Red Deer-South from her caucus for declaring himself a separatist, what’s keeping the rest of them quiet,” she said.

“How many more UCP MLAs will be honest with their constituents and admit that they would rather leave Canada than lead Canada?”

Williams shot up from his chair to answer her question.

“We’ve answered over and over again that we are for a united Canada,” he said.

He then challenged the Opposition NDP’s patriotism, but for Alberta.

He cited newly elected federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis’s opposition to pipeline development, which has sparked pushback from Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi. Nenshi has said he is willing to meet with Lewis.

“Members opposite cannot say that they are proud to be Albertans the way we can say we’re proud to be Canadians,” said Williams.

“I challenge members opposite to … defy Avi Lewis and defend Alberta and our energy industry the way I and my colleagues defend Canada.”

Smith, speaking an unrelated news conference Monday, was pushed by reporters to draw a line on acceptable advocacy for the separatist cause within her own caucus.

“(Stephan) was promoting people signing the petition and promoting people taking part in a citizen-led democratic process,” said Smith.

“My personal view is that these should be citizen-led processes, and that elected people shouldn’t participate in them.”

Over the weekend, Smith said she welcomes diverse views in her caucus when asked about Stephan on her provincewide radio show on 880 CHED and QR Calgary.

Nenshi challenged those views in the chamber Monday.

He cited the Smith’s booting of a rural backbencher from caucus last March following his public opposition to the government’s proposed budget.

“There is no one dividing Canada more than this premier and this government every single day,” he said.

“Who is she going to kick out next? Certainly not the separatists.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2026.