I really didn’t think the premier would use the lingo of street fighting. But there you have it. Read More
”If you ask me to be a wimp and a pushover, the answer is No,” says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith
“If you ask me to be a wimp and a pushover, the answer is No,” says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith
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I really didn’t think the premier would use the lingo of street fighting. But there you have it.
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“I believe when you get punched in the face you have to punch back,” says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
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“We do not pick these fights but we sure as heck defend ourselves and we sure as heck will defend Albertans. That’s what I’m going to do.
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“If you ask me to be a wimp and a pushover, the answer is No.”
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Some political folks accuse Smith of picking fights. Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi has thrown down that gauntlet.
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“I wish he would defend Alberta for a change,” fires back Smith, continuing with her fight talk.
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The premier sees Nenshi as “somebody who would take a punch to the face, lay down and not get up. That’s not me.”
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“The fights could stop very easily. Stop punching us.”
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The fight Smith is talking about is the battle with Ottawa.
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Smith insists she wants a better relationship with Ottawa. She has tried but it has not worked out yet.
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“Every time I reach out with an olive branch I get smacked down and they come through with more offensive policies.”
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These are policies such as the No More Pipelines law, the net-zero power regulations, the cap on oil and gas emissions, “causing so much harm to our economy and fanning separatist intent.”
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On top of the ugly policies there are those Canadians from outside Alberta who send messages saying Smith and other Albertans should stop whining and shut up.
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Such comments really rile up the Alberta premier.
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“I can tell you what you never hear me say.
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“You know what, the Americans don’t want your auto industry so why don’t you just shut it down.
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“The Americans don’t really want your steel, just shut it down. The Americans don’t want your aluminum. Just shut it down. What are you complaining about? What’s wrong with you?”
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Smith says when she’s gone to meet the movers and shakers stateside she defends the auto industry in Canada and Canadian steel and Canadian aluminum.
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“I champion every single resource produced by every single province and if we had a functioning country that’s exactly how everybody else would be treating Alberta.”
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In the U.S. there are many projects being discussed openly to get fast-tracked so more Alberta oil can go to the Americans.