Smith wants to negotiate ‘Alberta accord’ guaranteeing pipelines, more federal cash

OTTAWA — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith threw down the gauntlet to newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney in a livestreamed address Monday, calling on him to negotiate a new deal between Ottawa and Alberta guaranteeing more pipelines and changes to equalization.

“We hope this will result in a binding agreement that Albertans can have confidence in. Call it an ‘Alberta accord’,” said Smith, seated in front of a backdrop of Albertan and Canadian flags.

Smith said she would soon appoint a special team to represent Alberta in these negotiations.

She set down multiple demands the province intends to make, including guaranteed access to tidewater for its energy exports on all three coasts, the elimination of federal net-zero policies, and the same per-capita federal transfers and equalization payments as Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia receive.

“We have no issue with Alberta continuing to subsidize smaller provinces … but there is no excuse for such large and powerful economies … to be subsidizing one another,” said Smith.

“That was never the intent of equalization and it needs to end.”

Smith said it was imperative for Carney to act quickly to “eliminate the doubts a growing number of Albertans feel” about the province’s future in Canada.

The premier held a special meeting with her caucus Friday to discuss how the government should respond to the return of another Liberal government to power, with very little representation in Alberta.

One member of Smith’s caucus, Jason Stephan, told reporters at the province’s legislature shortly before the premier’s address he wants to see a referendum on Alberta separation.

Smith didn’t go that far, but did touch on separation in her Monday address, calling it “the elephant in the room.”

She said she believes Alberta has a future in Canada, but understands the frustrations of those fed up with the status quo.

“The vast majority of (separatists) are not fringe voices… They are loyal Albertans,” said Smith.

“They’re … our friends and neighbours who’ve just had enough of having their livelihoods and prosperity attacked by a hostile federal government.”

Smith said if there were a successful, citizen-led push for a referendum question on separation, which hit the requisite threshold of signatures, she’ll include that question on the 2026 provincial referendum ballot.

Last week, she announced she was dramatically lowering the bar for citizens to initiate referendums.

Duane Bratt, a professor of political science at Calgary’s Mount Royal University, says that Smith likely slotted the address at 3 p.m. local time to make a bigger splash in Central Canada, which runs two hours ahead of Alberta.

“Usually, premiers’ addresses air during the evening to capture a primetime television audience,” Bratt said.