Treason

Can one cowgirl break the market?

Some people worry about it, now that Alberta’s out-there premier, Danielle Smith, has set up an historic referendum while giving the official green light to racism, xenophobia, tribalism and, of course, Maple MAGA.

Look at what’s happened since Mark Carney took over the feds, vowing to lessen our ties to the States, slashing immigration and launching a slew of nation-building big stuff (mines, ports, reactors, even a pipeline). On Bay Street the TSX last year delivered an eye-popping total return of 32%. This was fuelled by materials, including gold miners, and Canada’s awesome coterie of banks. Bay Street left Wall Street in the dust. And so far this year, it’s added another 6%.

The world likes Canada now. Our markets are stoked. Investment capital has picked up. The Davos speech made waves globally. Trump hates us. All the indicators are flashing green.

While America has turned into a dumpster fire of political polarization, paramilitary police in the streets, measles, attacks on late-night TV hosts and universities, mass deportations, government shutdowns, Bad Bunny-hate and a crazy president who invaded or attacked seven countries in a year and wants the Nobel Peace Prize, Canada looks seductively boring.

So, along comes Smith, channelling her inner Kristi Noem.

In a TV speech last week, and days before delivering a budget awash in red ink, she pulled a page out of the time-honoured book of prejudice and blamed immigrants for her government’s lousy numbers.

“Throwing the doors open to anyone and everyone across the globe has flooded our classrooms, emergency rooms and social support systems with far too many people, far too quickly,” she said. “This is what we’re talking about — making sure the services are prioritized to the people who’ve registered a permanent stake in our country and our province. That’s Canadian citizens and permanent residents. And temporary individuals should be treated as that — temporary, and tourists.”

Her proposal is to restrict social services to newcomers, to charge them a fee for health and education and hold back certain services until a year has passed. In short, Alberta would make two classes of Canadians. The unemployed guy on welfare who was born in Red Deer would be supported. The immigrant family running a corner store in Calgary and paying income and property taxes would be penalized.

Now, is there a problem? Does Danielle have a real beef?

As you know, federal immigration has been gutted since you-know-who stopped being prime minister. Permanent resident numbers (vetted immigrants) dropped from 500,000 a year to 365,000 for all of Canada. Over 40% of these people are already here, and in the queue. International student numbers are chopped and temporary foreign worker arrivals are cut by 43%.

In fact, Canada’s population did more than stabilize in the last few months. It shrunk a little.

As for Alberta, there are 281,000 people in that province who are non-permanent residents. At 5.5% of the population, that is below the national average. There is no flood of people. No doors being flung open to anyone. In fact last year – as Smith was unable to cope with falling oil prices and slashed revenues – the number of non-permanent residents dropped by 15,000. More are moving out than arriving. Immigration and migration to then province has been plunging for the last two years.

But that doesn’t matter when your political base is fracturing. You make stuff up. Throw red meat at the base.

Smith has been dealing with the Wexit traitors, who would like Alberta to be a Trump paradise like Montana. It appears her autumn referendum will have not only questions about racist immigration reforms and increased provincial power, but also outright secession from Canada.

Polling indicates the constant Ottawa-bashing of the UCP crew in Edmonton has convinced maybe a third of the electorate that they could be richer leaving Confederation (which is patently untrue), and could in fact do so (equally false). The fact Smith might legitimize this treasonous myth with a formal, state-run vote, disqualifies her as a trusted person. She is now effectively part of the same White House that has had meetings with the Wexiteers. The 51st state’s first Governor.

And how is the federal opposition leader, a fellow Conservative and MP from Alberta, responding to this threat against Canada, its values and the way we treat people (unlike in the States where racial profiling was approved by the Supreme Court)?

With silence.

Smith and Poilievre place person before principle. They are leaders who value standing, title, power, privilege and pension more than those they serve. This is the threat from within, to the nation and the market.

And we lost the game. Damn.

About the picture: “This is Happy Gilmour,” writes Ben. “He’s up north on the farm suffering another Timmins winter. We’ve seen doggy pics of these Australian cattle dogs before and while they’re beautiful I do believe these dogs are also crazy smart. Everyone I talk to who owns one agrees, its like he understands what you’re saying. I’m still reading the blog daily, as well as every single comment. It really is a national treasure. Thanks to all who contribute in a respectful manner.”

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

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2026/02/22/treason/