‘Queberta’ or ‘Alberbec’: Alberta premier pushing for closer alliance with Quebec

Alta. Premier Danielle Smith meets Quebec leaders and business groups to strengthen ties on energy, autonomy, and economic issues. Genevieve Beauchemin reports

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dropped in for a visit to Quebec pushing for closer ties between the two provinces. She joked the alliance could be called “Alberbec” or as her Quebec counterpart would likely prefer: “Queberta.” Smith says the two provinces have had their differences, but that they have more in common than not.

“We’ve both dealt with an Ottawa that has refused to listen to our needs,” said the Alberta premier.

Both provinces are facing votes in October that could pave the way for a referendum. The Parti Quebecois, which some polls suggest may hold the lead in voter intention, has promised a referendum if it forms the government in the Oct. 5, provincial election. Alberta will be heading to the polls a few days later on a question of whether the province should hold a binding referendum to secede from Canada.

Smith’s message was aimed at an audience in Quebec and for those in Alberta, at a time when both face threats to national unity.

“I am here to show all Albertans especially those who feel otherwise that Canada can work for all of us, this is why I am here in Quebec to build linkages as our two provinces, Alberta and Quebec, ‘Queberta’ I guess we are calling it, truly model the ideals our country was built on.”

“In Canada we chose the decentralized federation model, in which provinces were left to make their own decisions,” Smith told an audience of business leaders at the Port of Quebec.

Forging close bonds

Smith says she believes Alberta and Quebec can forge close bonds to boost manufacturing and improve trade between provinces. She also said she wanted to discuss energy production and explore whether an east-west energy corridor may be an area Quebec would now be ready to consider.

“In Quebec most of the electricity is done by hydro. In Ontario, most of it, 60 per cent is nuclear. In my province, most of it is natural gas,” she said. “And so by creating those entities so that we can move that power to where it is needed, I think that really is the start of ensuring that everybody has the power that they need to grow at affordable prices.”

Smith also urged business leaders in Quebec to reboot the manufacturing sector, pledging that her province would buy more made-in-Quebec material if industrial development was ramped up.

Smith was asked whether she could draw lessons from the previous Quebec referendums in trying to convince Albertans to tick the “remain in Canada” option on a ballot.

“I’m looking more at what I saw in the U.K.,” she said. “There’s a lot of regret. I think you are seeing there the (U.K.) prime minister talking about ways to expand the trade relationship with Europe and it’s complicated and difficult.”

Though she said she would draw on what she called the “wisdom” of Quebec on some issues, including taking more control over immigration and more authority in provincial jurisdiction.