Deal with me, she seems to be saying, or the bogey of Alberta independence will be released

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith isn’t “stoking the fire of Alberta separation” by warning that unless the federal Liberal government changes its approach to Alberta, a separatist movement is bound to grow in the province.

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Smith has repeatedly claimed she is not a separatist. Personally she sees many benefits to Alberta remaining in a united Canada. She said so again on Monday in a 19-minute, online address to Albertans.

What she is doing, though, is playing good cop to separatism’s bad cop. Deal with me, she seems to be saying, or the bogey of Alberta independence will be released.

It’s a clever strategy, one that has been employed for more than six decades by Quebec governments going all the way back to Liberal Premier Jean Lesage and his Quiet Revolution in the 1960s.

On Monday, during her address, Smith said “the attacks on our province by our own federal government have become unbearable.” For the last 10 years the Liberals have “demonized our province” and cost hundreds of billions in investment by targeting our No. 1 industry — oil and gas.

She credited newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney with meeting with her virtually soon after being elected. And she said the two had had a “promising” meeting.

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