Encouraging a referendum on separation is a very strange way to work for a united Canada

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Premier Danielle Smith admits it — the referendum on separation is all about keeping her own United Conservative Party from flying apart.

This was already obvious, but nobody expected the premier to reveal the raw cynicism behind her changes to referendum rules.

On CTV she said, “If there isn’t an outlet, it creates a new party.”

Under fire from the NDP, she told the legislature: “We do not want a permanent feature of Alberta politics to be parties that send representatives to Ottawa whose sole purpose is to break up the country or brand-new political parties whose sole purpose is to take this province out of Confederation.

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“What we are working toward is a united Canada with respect for provincial constitutional sovereignty over our areas of jurisdiction.”

Encouraging a referendum on separation is a very strange way to work for a united Canada.

But that’s exactly what Smith has done by easing the requirement for signatures on a petition.

A new separatist party would obviously bleed support from the UCP.

© Edmonton Journal