A Standing Ovation for a Free and Independent Alberta： Inside the 2025 UCP AGM
Episode Stats
Words per Minute
134.65324
Summary
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
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So today we're headed to day one of the 2025 UCP AGM.
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We're bringing our signing with us. We're going to hopefully have some good conversations.
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We've seen some pretty major wins in the last few weeks for the UCP.
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Bill 9, Bill 13 related to gender ideology, employment protections.
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Just yesterday we saw what seems on the surface to be a pretty big win from the federal government
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granting Alberta some extended pipeline access.
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You know, in an interview yesterday in Daniel Smith's own words,
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she is sort of hoping that it feels like that this might quell some separatist sentiments in Alberta.
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So we're going to find out. We're going to see.
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We're going to have some conversations with the members.
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See, has this changed their opinion on whether or not they want to see Alberta become its own nation?
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Are they happy with the wins? Are they going to see how this goes?
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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.
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We've got Rebecca Schultz and Dan Williams, Nate Blupin.
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What a great day. What I'm most proud of is to be an Alberta Conservative leading the world on good Conservative principles.
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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.
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The opportunity to build a pipeline, but it's not for the pipeline. It's not just to send oil to market.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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What is going on in order to bring more charter schools online?
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One of the things that we've done in law enforcement as an example is a paradigm shift in the way we police.
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We signed an agreement with Saskatchewan and Manitoba to actually advocate for nation-building projects.
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People who are getting the help that they need, I would say, is transformational.
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We got so-called MOU decided yesterday. The ink was a dry on the paper.
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And Mark Carney went out and gleefully announced a 600% increase to the industrial carbon tax in Alberta.
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My question for the room is, how many of all of us favour a free and independent Alberta?
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Well, I support an independent Alberta within a unit in Canada.
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But the MOU, I think it was kind of planned to come out to provide her support,
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which is to take some of the wind out of the independent sail.
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I was very curious to see how the membership would react.
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I think, you know, in my own personal opinion, it's a positive step forward,
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but it's still too early to tell, I think, exactly how it's going to play out per se.
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But you know what? I think that's what political parties are for, right?
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You have tough internal conversations, but that's how politics and democracy is supposed to work, right?
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Jeff Rath's standing ovation was definitely the highlight of the afternoon
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and was a major talking point amongst the attendees we chatted with,
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along with making major waves throughout social media
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as the clips of his speech and mic cut went viral.
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It was obvious from the response from the crowd
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that a real discussion about independence was going to be impossible to ignore.
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Hi, guys. Welcome back to day two of the 2025 UCPA GM.
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and we have the premier's keynote speech and accountability address.
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And we're going to be interested to see after the eventful day yesterday
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what her response is to the pretty overwhelming vote of confidence
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from the membership in the auditorium about Alberta independence.
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We're going to hopefully get some discussions at lunch with the membership,
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see what the pulse is, and hopefully bring you some good clips.
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So, my dear friends, thank you so much for that warm welcome.
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I can't tell you how happy and energized I feel when I am with you.
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Let me tell you, we fought and won in the courts of law.
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We fought and won in the court of public opinion.
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And we fought against and continue to fight every person or initiative
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that seeks to destroy our economy and future prosperity.
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We've been abused and taken for granted repeatedly over the past decades.
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But, my friends, let's not throw in the towel and give up on our country
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just as the battle has turned in our favor and victory is in sight.
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Not one of our fellow Canadians, even those that may support differing political parties,
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are nonetheless supporting Alberta's vision for a prosperous, energy-rich nation
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with strong and sovereign provinces, building a Canada we can be proud of again.
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We had the opportunity to prove to Danielle Smith and her cabinet
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that their base is about 85-90% in favor of Alberta independence.
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I was hoping that we would hear the end of this nonsense about a strong Alberta within a united Canada.
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It's just time to move on and get Alberta the hell out of Canada.
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I think the only way that Danielle or any of her cabinet ministers can win a debate on Alberta independence
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You know, the math and the economics of Alberta leaving Canada are so strong.
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There is not a valid argument for keeping Alberta within Canada.
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And you notice that in all of her remarks today that, you know,
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that Danielle didn't have a single good reason for Alberta staying in Canada
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other than we need to work with our fellow Canadians who've been screwing us for years.
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Now, I know full well that so many of you here today
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have been justifiably, like me, frustrated and angry with Ottawa.
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I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I hear you.
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Alberta, despite all of the roadblocks thrown in our way by Ottawa,
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has still managed to become once again the fastest growing province in Canada
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Personally, I would have loved to have a session, an open session on the question.
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that the day that Alberta does everything that Quebec does,
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that doesn't need any referendum, nothing, just policies,
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and will push for renegociation of our relationship.
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New Albertans from other provinces and countries have been essential
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to our economic prosperity and rich culture for over 100 years.
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of what was effectively an open borders policy by Ottawa.
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We need an immigration policy as we don't work.
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And that is why our effort will be taking primary control
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over our immigration system in the coming months and years ahead.
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So that no professional will lose their license to practice
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but you better make sure you've got everything in place.
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You better make sure that you have a blueprint to follow
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and the Liberals are just rubbing their hands together,
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waiting and hoping that we all jump ship immediately.
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And it won't be effective and it won't be efficient.
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under the Alberta Sovereignty Within the United Canada Act
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including our municipalities and law enforcement agencies,
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that these agencies will not enforce or prosecute
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Alberta's defending their homes and families from the truth.
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that these agencies will not enforce or prosecute
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Alberta's defending their homes and families from the truth.
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that these agencies will not enforce or prosecute
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Alberta's defending their homes and families from the truth.
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With Danielle Smith's keynote concluded, we broke for lunch.
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so we were hoping to catch people coming and going
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but it was quite cold and we didn't see much traffic.
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There's some constables that are doing some good work here
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that are trying to keep this situation under control.
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Obviously, no one wanted to have a conversation with our sign.
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No minds are attempting to be changed, but so they were very kind to us.
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Since we didn't get a chance to have any real conversations,
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we headed back inside to catch the results of the board elections.
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This election was notable because vocal independence advocates
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within the party had a major opportunity to grow their influence.
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Ultimately, 11 of 17 board seats went in favor of Danielle Smith Loyalists,
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with four going to candidates explicitly advocated for by the APP
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and a handful of independent sympathizers in addition to them
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No doubt there is clear support for Danielle Smith,
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and rightfully so, as she has managed to secure
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some key policy considerations that have been greatly appreciated
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so we are left with a few major unanswered questions
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How will the growth of the independence movement
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or ultimately split as differences and long-term goals
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And will the UCP manage to navigate this moment,
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as being ultimately a federalist or a separatist party?