After hitting 10 stops over three months, Alberta’s travelling roadshow of participative democracy is wrapping up.
Driving the news: The Alberta Next Panel series concludes today with an online town hall. The events were pitched as a way to discuss Alberta sovereignty, featuring Premier Danielle Smith and a panel of 15 experts of various stripes, ahead of potential referenda next year.
-
The six main proposals under discussion were adopting a provincial pension plan and police force; increasing provincial control over immigration and tax collection; changing the Constitution to update provincial rights; and reforming federal transfers.
Big picture: The initiative has proven to be contentious. While many attendees have praised the town halls, critics have panned them as partisan theatre meant to appease separatist members of Smith’s base. There’s also controversy over how the events were moderated.
-
For example, in Calgary this week a teen tried asking a question about the imminent Alberta teacher’s strike but had his mic cut off. Moderator Bruce McAllister took issue with his tone saying, “your parents should turn you over your knee," leading to boos.
Why it matters: It remains to be seen when votes on these issues will happen and how much support they’ll garner (leaving the Canada Pension Plan, at least, looks DOA). But if any proposals do win the support of Albertans, they would have ripple effects reaching the rest of the country and, in some cases, will need support from other provinces to pass.—QH