The Critical Compass Podcast - December 03, 2025


A Standing Ovation for a Free and Independent Alberta： Inside the 2025 UCP AGM


Episode Stats


Length

14 minutes

Words per minute

134.65324

Word count

1,961

Sentence count

121

Harmful content

Misogyny

1

sentences flagged

Hate speech

3

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Day 1 of the UCP AGM, Day 2 of the UCPA AGM and Day 3 of the AGM are here! Premier Rachel Notley delivers the keynote address at the first day of day two of the 25th AGM.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:01.000 So today we're headed to day one of the 2025 UCP AGM.
00:00:07.000 We're bringing our signing with us. We're going to hopefully have some good conversations.
00:00:10.000 We've seen some pretty major wins in the last few weeks for the UCP.
00:00:15.000 Bill 9, Bill 13 related to gender ideology, employment protections.
00:00:22.000 Just yesterday we saw what seems on the surface to be a pretty big win from the federal government
00:00:29.000 granting Alberta some extended pipeline access.
00:00:33.000 You know, in an interview yesterday in Daniel Smith's own words,
00:00:36.000 she is sort of hoping that it feels like that this might quell some separatist sentiments in Alberta.
00:00:41.000 So we're going to find out. We're going to see.
00:00:44.000 We're going to have some conversations with the members.
00:00:46.000 See, has this changed their opinion on whether or not they want to see Alberta become its own nation?
00:00:52.000 Are they happy with the wins? Are they going to see how this goes?
00:00:56.000 We'll find out.
00:00:59.000 Let's get this party started. I'm going to invite my cabinet up here and they're going to talk to you one on one.
00:01:15.000 We've got Rebecca Schultz and Dan Williams, Nate Blupin.
00:01:18.000 What a great day. What I'm most proud of is to be an Alberta Conservative leading the world on good Conservative principles.
00:01:24.000 Now I don't know if you folks have heard about a pipeline recently, but that's one of the things that our caucus has brought to you.
00:01:30.000 The opportunity to build a pipeline, but it's not for the pipeline. It's not just to send oil to market.
00:01:36.000 It's to bring a better quality of life, to bring you happiness and health and all the things we need to pay for to have the best quality of life on the entire planet.
00:01:46.000 There's a whole bunch of if, maybe, potential. Nothing has been signed. Nothing has been agreed to. And I have no issue with the fact that maybe it's a step in the right direction.
00:01:58.000 But the problem is, is the UCP is promoting this as if this is a done deal. Like we've moved forward and she's checked off these seven of the nine demands that we've made.
00:02:07.000 And that's false. We have not accomplished anything. Nothing has changed from last week to this week, even having signed the Memorandum of Understanding.
00:02:16.000 All right. I see some very long line-ups. I don't want to say too much. What we'll do is we'll go back and forth between the mics.
00:02:23.000 What is going on in order to bring more charter schools online?
00:02:27.000 One of the things that we've done in law enforcement as an example is a paradigm shift in the way we police.
00:02:33.000 We signed an agreement with Saskatchewan and Manitoba to actually advocate for nation-building projects.
00:02:39.000 People who are getting the help that they need, I would say, is transformational.
00:02:42.000 We got so-called MOU decided yesterday. The ink was a dry on the paper.
00:02:48.000 And Mark Carney went out and gleefully announced a 600% increase to the industrial carbon tax in Alberta.
00:02:59.000 My question for the room is, how many of all of us favour a free and independent Alberta?
00:03:12.000 What a big impact!
00:03:23.000 What a big impact!
00:03:29.000 What a big impact!
00:03:32.000 What a big impact!
00:03:35.000 I would.
00:03:41.000 Well, I support an independent Alberta within a unit in Canada.
00:03:49.880 That is my pleasure.
00:04:02.540 But the MOU, I think it was kind of planned to come out to provide her support,
00:04:07.280 which is to take some of the wind out of the independent sail.
00:04:09.460 People see through it. It's an MOU.
00:04:11.920 It's like a promise ring to the girl.
00:04:13.900 This is way before the marriage.
00:04:15.520 We're not even at an engagement ring.
00:04:17.640 15 years, maybe we'll see something.
00:04:20.160 People are wanting change now.
00:04:22.520 I was very curious to see how the membership would react.
00:04:25.720 I think, you know, in my own personal opinion, it's a positive step forward,
00:04:30.060 but it's still too early to tell, I think, exactly how it's going to play out per se.
00:04:34.340 But you know what? I think that's what political parties are for, right?
00:04:36.740 You have tough internal conversations, but that's how politics and democracy is supposed to work, right?
00:04:44.200 Jeff Rath's standing ovation was definitely the highlight of the afternoon
00:04:48.200 and was a major talking point amongst the attendees we chatted with,
00:04:52.040 along with making major waves throughout social media
00:04:54.580 as the clips of his speech and mic cut went viral.
00:04:58.000 It was obvious from the response from the crowd
00:05:00.280 that a real discussion about independence was going to be impossible to ignore.
00:05:03.960 Hi, guys. Welcome back to day two of the 2025 UCPA GM.
00:05:16.060 We're at the event today.
00:05:17.500 We have on deck the financial reports.
00:05:20.800 We have board member voting today,
00:05:22.240 and we have the premier's keynote speech and accountability address.
00:05:26.700 And we're going to be interested to see after the eventful day yesterday
00:05:30.240 what her response is to the pretty overwhelming vote of confidence
00:05:34.380 from the membership in the auditorium about Alberta independence.
00:05:38.760 So we have our sign.
00:05:39.680 We're going to hopefully get some discussions at lunch with the membership,
00:05:42.560 see what the pulse is, and hopefully bring you some good clips.
00:05:45.420 So, my dear friends, thank you so much for that warm welcome.
00:05:58.320 I can't tell you how happy and energized I feel when I am with you.
00:06:02.220 Let me tell you, we fought and won in the courts of law.
00:06:06.820 We fought and won in the court of public opinion.
00:06:10.240 And we fought against and continue to fight every person or initiative
00:06:14.520 that seeks to destroy our economy and future prosperity.
00:06:22.620 We've been abused and taken for granted repeatedly over the past decades.
00:06:27.980 But, my friends, let's not throw in the towel and give up on our country
00:06:32.700 just as the battle has turned in our favor and victory is in sight.
00:06:37.920 Thank you.
00:06:44.520 Not one of our fellow Canadians, even those that may support differing political parties,
00:06:49.040 are nonetheless supporting Alberta's vision for a prosperous, energy-rich nation
00:06:53.780 with strong and sovereign provinces, building a Canada we can be proud of again.
00:06:59.820 Now is not the time to give up the fight.
00:07:02.300 Yeah, it was an interesting night last night.
00:07:11.940 We had the opportunity to prove to Danielle Smith and her cabinet
00:07:15.400 that their base is about 85-90% in favor of Alberta independence.
00:07:20.400 I was hoping that we would hear the end of this nonsense about a strong Alberta within a united Canada.
00:07:25.520 It's just time to move on and get Alberta the hell out of Canada. 0.98
00:07:27.880 I think the only way that Danielle or any of her cabinet ministers can win a debate on Alberta independence
00:07:33.060 is if they cut off our mic, right?
00:07:35.800 You know, the math and the economics of Alberta leaving Canada are so strong.
00:07:41.660 There is not a valid argument for keeping Alberta within Canada.
00:07:45.460 And you notice that in all of her remarks today that, you know,
00:07:48.540 that Danielle didn't have a single good reason for Alberta staying in Canada
00:07:53.020 other than we need to work with our fellow Canadians who've been screwing us for years. 1.00
00:07:57.880 Now, I know full well that so many of you here today
00:08:03.220 have been justifiably, like me, frustrated and angry with Ottawa.
00:08:09.800 I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I hear you.
00:08:14.620 Alberta, despite all of the roadblocks thrown in our way by Ottawa,
00:08:19.320 has still managed to become once again the fastest growing province in Canada
00:08:23.960 and by a long shot.
00:08:31.740 Personally, I would have loved to have a session, an open session on the question.
00:08:35.780 My position is to do what Quebec does, 0.97
00:08:38.040 that the day that Alberta does everything that Quebec does,
00:08:42.140 that doesn't need any referendum, nothing, just policies,
00:08:45.800 that it will render the country dysfunctional
00:08:48.420 and will push for renegociation of our relationship.
00:08:51.960 New Albertans from other provinces and countries have been essential
00:08:55.200 to our economic prosperity and rich culture for over 100 years.
00:08:59.860 But that was upended by the last 10 years
00:09:02.380 of what was effectively an open borders policy by Ottawa.
00:09:06.340 And Albertans of all ages, ethnicities,
00:09:09.840 and immigration history have had quite enough.
00:09:12.460 We need an immigration policy as we don't work. 0.95
00:09:22.320 And that is why our effort will be taking primary control
00:09:25.380 over our immigration system in the coming months and years ahead.
00:09:33.180 So that no professional will lose their license to practice
00:09:37.100 due to their political beliefs,
00:09:39.040 or burdening or cannot count down.
00:09:41.320 The way I feel today is we could separate,
00:09:57.820 but you better make sure you've got everything in place.
00:10:01.040 You better make sure that you have a blueprint to follow
00:10:03.120 because the NDP and the federal and provincial
00:10:07.880 and the Liberals are just rubbing their hands together,
00:10:11.080 waiting and hoping that we all jump ship immediately.
00:10:14.220 And it won't be effective and it won't be efficient.
00:10:17.940 There's just no way.
00:10:18.940 We'll be introducing a new motion
00:10:21.100 under the Alberta Sovereignty Within the United Canada Act
00:10:24.380 that will, in past in the legislature,
00:10:28.160 instruct all provincial entities,
00:10:30.040 including our municipalities and law enforcement agencies,
00:10:33.120 to refuse to enforce or prosecute
00:10:35.660 under the federal gun seizure program.
00:10:37.580 that these agencies will not enforce or prosecute
00:10:39.580 Alberta's defending their homes and families from the truth.
00:10:42.120 Sovereignty and motion will also make it clear
00:10:44.240 that these agencies will not enforce or prosecute
00:10:50.120 Alberta's defending their homes and families from the truth.
00:10:56.120 Sovereignty and motion will also make it clear
00:11:00.160 that these agencies will not enforce or prosecute
00:11:03.840 Alberta's defending their homes and families from the truth.
00:11:06.840 With Danielle Smith's keynote concluded, we broke for lunch.
00:11:26.600 We weren't able to bring our sign inside,
00:11:28.960 so we were hoping to catch people coming and going
00:11:31.080 at the entrance to the convention hall,
00:11:32.800 but it was quite cold and we didn't see much traffic.
00:11:36.380 We spotted a group of Antifa protesters.
00:11:38.920 If anyone was going to change our minds,
00:11:40.640 it would be those who so vehemently disagreed
00:11:42.980 with everything the UCP stands for,
00:11:45.120 let alone its independence faction.
00:11:46.720 We were trying to have a conversation.
00:11:50.200 There's some constables that are doing some good work here
00:11:52.340 that are trying to keep this situation under control.
00:11:55.060 Obviously, no one wanted to have a conversation with our sign.
00:11:58.640 No minds are attempting to be changed, but so they were very kind to us.
00:12:04.040 They gave us the lowdown.
00:12:05.100 They don't want to have to arrest anyone
00:12:06.420 and cause a bunch of problems.
00:12:07.880 So we're going to go.
00:12:08.520 Bye.
00:12:16.720 Since we didn't get a chance to have any real conversations,
00:12:28.200 we headed back inside to catch the results of the board elections.
00:12:31.820 This election was notable because vocal independence advocates
00:12:34.900 within the party had a major opportunity to grow their influence.
00:12:38.740 Ultimately, 11 of 17 board seats went in favor of Danielle Smith Loyalists,
00:12:43.500 with four going to candidates explicitly advocated for by the APP
00:12:47.520 and a handful of independent sympathizers in addition to them
00:12:51.120 from what we could gather.
00:12:53.180 No doubt there is clear support for Danielle Smith,
00:12:55.480 and rightfully so, as she has managed to secure
00:12:57.780 some key policy considerations that have been greatly appreciated
00:13:00.880 by the membership.
00:13:02.340 But the groundswell of independent sentiment
00:13:04.180 is at an all-time high within the UCP,
00:13:06.760 so we are left with a few major unanswered questions
00:13:09.460 coming out of this AGM.
00:13:10.600 How will the growth of the independence movement
00:13:14.180 affect the UCP and its policy direction?
00:13:17.100 Will the party fracture from within,
00:13:19.020 or ultimately split as differences and long-term goals
00:13:22.080 become irreconcilable?
00:13:24.160 And will the UCP manage to navigate this moment,
00:13:27.120 perhaps via result of referendum,
00:13:29.200 and definitively take a stance
00:13:30.740 as being ultimately a federalist or a separatist party?
00:13:33.840 In the UCP pratique,
00:14:03.820 Thank you.