The queen of con

A few days ago the American president thought he’d help out his pal, Danielle Smith. After all, she’s in a tricky spot. That crazy referendum is coming in just a few weeks. Albertans will be asked about staying in a Canada, and immigration. The one-two punch for yahoo secessionists.

So Trump posted this:

“Canada is destroying itself by allowing millions and millions of people into the Country, essentially unchecked and unvetted, and who are causing problems that will soon be too big to handle. It is a Liberal takeover that will end very badly.”

For the record, immigration into Canada in the first seven months of the year was 222,000. Most of those people were economic migrants, selected, approved and 55% started working. A trickle were students. Caada’s population growth has crashed, and there are just 0.5% more people here than a year ago.

Trashing Canada is what separatism is all about. “You can do better,” they cry. “You can have all the benefits of Canada without paying taxes and being free. Like in Montana.”

It’s what Trump says, of course. That Canada wants “all the benefits of being a state” without joining the US. That’s why he’s punishing us (and helping her).

For the record, a new poll finds support for Alberta splitting from Canada has dropped, and the outcome of the Oct.19 vote on that question is not in doubt. But the poll also found 53% of Smith’s own right-wing United Conservative Party are secessionists. The compares with 98% of the rival provincial NDP members who are federalists.

Of course, an indy Alberta would be a land-locked Third World place, saddled with debt and stripped of transfer payments. The overhead in running a big province with a small population (five million) would be crippling. Absorption into the States would be an obvious next step, triggering an international crisis. There is no good outcome. Except staying here. In Canada.

Smith is doing this, supported by the rogue White House, for her own political survival. The ten questions people will be faced with (and are now voting on by mail in huge numbers) have been judged as biased and through their language lead people to an outcome Smith wants. More power.

Political science experts from the Agus Reid Institute say the questions are engineered to create a ‘Yes’ response by rhetorically suggesting the opposite is unacceptable. For example, asking if immigration should be reduced “to more sustainable levels” infers the current situation is not. So, yeah, who wouldn’t vote yes?

Ditto for a question that asks if there should be more “economic immigration” that “gives Albertans first priority on jobs”, the answer is a no-brainer. Yes, Danielle! You’re our common sense queen.

And on its goers, suggesting newcomers should not get the social benefits of heritage Albertans, or charging new families fees for things the rest of us get for free. Then there’s the Alberta version of the Trump ‘Save America’ act saying “only citizens” should vote in an election – when proving citizenship requires a valid passport, and not just a driver’s license. And the question about the province pulling out of federal programs but wanting Ottawa’s money is more of a power grab and a push-back on the notion of equalization – that all Canadians have an equal right to similar services, regardless of where they live. That is fundamental to not being Americans, where state governments have the authority to require your kid to read the Bible in school or tell a woman what she can do with her body.

And the Canada question itself?

Shameful.

“Should Alberta remain a province in Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?”

The question is not about separation, which would settle the matter. Instead, Smith continues to play footsie with the secessionists, keeping their flame lit, by asking instead if people want a “legal process” to hold a vote sometime in the future. Experts say it’s a great example of a polling tactic used to lower the threshold. Voting yes does not mean jumping off the cliff of separation and leaving Canada. It just means more talking. Maybe get a few more things than, say, Quebec. Harmless. What the hell?

Of course, if even a quarter of people reply in the affirmative, it gives Smith a big stick to beat Mark Carney with.

Well, Alberta will vote no. She gets it. But she wins anyway. That’s what this is about.

About the picture: “I wanted to share that we put our best pet Minion to rest yesterday,” writes Mark, “and I was hoping you would be able to post his picture on an upcoming blog. This is Minion, our beloved family dog for almost 15 year. We rescued him when he was a young puppy and he has been by our side ever since. He has passed on to doggy heaven. Run free Minion.”

To be in touch pr send a pictutre of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2026/09/25/the-con-3/