Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says Premier Danielle Smith is “playing games” with national unity and fuelling separatist sentiment for short-term political gain.
In an interview with CTV News Channel on Sunday, Nenshi pushed back against new legislation introduced by Smith’s government that would make it easier for citizens to trigger a referendum on separation.
“The premier is playing with this because she thinks that it will gain her political advantage in the short term,” Nenshi said.
“This country is way too important to play with.”
Smith has said she supports Alberta remaining in a united Canada, but Nenshi questioned her sincerity.
“She’s really taking Albertans for fools,” he charged.
“She’s being very ‘Oh, this is citizen led, it has nothing to do with me,’ while at the same time making it much easier for citizens to have this kind of referendum.”
Nenshi pointed to what he called an “orchestrated, designed” separatist rally outside the legislature on Saturday, warning that stoking “fear and anger” for political gain is dangerous.
Drawing a parallel to the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom, he said the risks of fuelling fringe sentiment shouldn’t be underestimated.
“You never know what happens when you start a fire,” Nenshi said.
“Prime Minister Cameron in the UK… he did it to appease a fringe minority, thinking it would never, ever pass.”
The provincial NDP leader said he wants Smith to make her position clear.
“I would like to hear her say she is a proud Canadian, and she denounces separatism,” he said.
“If she’s not going to do that… say you’re behind it, hold the referendum, and when she gets the resounding, thumping defeat that she so rightly deserves, maybe we can make life better for everyone.”
Nenshi added that he’s confident that if a vote on separation were held, the result would be a firm “no.”
“My message to Albertans, really, is we’ve got to fight strongly for this country. We have to wake up now and stand up for Canada,” he said.
