@canadianinalberta.bsky.social:
I believe that making us crueler is the intent
Opinion: Smith’s immigrant referendum will make Alberta crueler, poorer by Avnish Nanda, Apr 23, 2026, Edmonton Journal
The Alberta Advantage is not about low taxes.
The Alberta Advantage is the founding promise that it does not matter when you came here, where you came from, or what led you here — but that you will be measured by the content of your character and how you show up for your community.
From the Indigenous communities that pre-date this province, to the successive wave of migrants who came afterwards, this has been the promise that has built Alberta.
Immigrants have seeded and tilled our fields, worked our mines, constructed our homes, treated our injuries, cared for us and our children, and built Alberta into the vibrant, diverse economic powerhouse that it is today.
Now, Danielle Smith is trying to undo that promise through a fall referendum that demonizes immigrants for the failures of her government. On Oct. 19, 2026, Albertans will vote on a series of disingenuous “policy” questions that are in substance an attempt to politically appease the radical cohort that forms her base.
The referendum is about politics, not policy. It comes on the heels of Smith calling for Alberta’s population to grow to 10 million by 2050 and spending $17 million as part of the “Alberta is Calling” campaign to recruit the same migrants to the province that she now calls threats. Not only is this a stark course correction, but almost none of the measures are in Alberta’s jurisdiction to address. Most of the questions posed are also founded on misleading premises intended to direct hostility towards immigrants rather than engage in any meaningful policy discussion.
For instance, Smith asks Albertans if they want temporary residents to pay for the provincial services they access. But, they already do. Temporary residents in Alberta, including those on work or student visas, pay taxes for government services. There is also a residency requirement that must be met to access health care. The federal government pays for the health care of refugee claimants, but they also pay taxes if they work. Temporary migrants are not freeloading off the system; they are working and paying taxes like everyone else.
This is not about policy. This about ensuring that Alberta is no longer a welcoming place for newcomers. It is about making it harder for immigrants to set down their roots and thrive. It is about reshaping what Alberta is and who can call it home by undoing the very foundations of our province.
The effects of Smith’s campaign will make Alberta crueler and poorer.
MAGAt Smith, her MAGAt UCP, and the ragingly cruel racist religious and separatist fuckers that control them are addicted to being cruel to others, notably to those less fortunate than them. For all their pimped christianity, i don’t see any in them.
Alberta needs immigrants. It needs them to fill a dwindling labour force in rural Alberta as populations become older. It needs their specialized expertise, experience, and enthusiasm — particularly in the fields of science, technology, and engineering — if we want to compete in an increasingly competitive global economy. It needs their investment capital to create more jobs and prosperity.
For decades, the competitive advantage Alberta had in recruiting immigrants to build both their dreams and this province was acceptance. It wouldn’t be held against someone if they were born elsewhere, spoke a different language, or held faith in a different belief system. None of that mattered. Alberta was a place that welcomed immigrants with open arms and allowed them to contribute and grow this province.
A referendum that demonizes immigrants for Smith’s personal political gain smothers that advantage. It undercuts the efforts taken to recruit the best, brightest, and most capable to this province, something Alberta industry has worked hard to achieve over decades. Why move to a place where the government labels you an enemy and makes it harder for you to work and contribute?
Smith’s referendum threatens Alberta’s prosperity and the values that are at the core of our province. It is our time to come together and reclaim our province from someone committed to rendering it unrecognizable.
Avnish Nanda is a member of Our Alberta Advantage, a non-profit organization that highlight the contributions of immigrants in Alberta: ouralbertaadvantage.ca
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Anne Bouscal:
Thanks for this piece, Avnish. It’s unconscionable that the referendum has 5 questions regarding immigrants. Never has the premier provided any financial data to support the need for such questions. Further, the questions are so long that they discourage voters from reading the content carefully. However, they’re clearly intended to placate the UCP base and foster xenophobic responses.
I agree with your comment about the Alberta advantage, but I don’t believe we share a common perception with this increasingly out-of-touch government.