Alberta MLA Pushes Separation Petition

0:00Alberta MLA Jason Stefan is urging people in his province to sign a petition for a referendum on whether the province should separate from Canada. The Red Deer South representative, who's also the parliamentary secretary for constitutional affairs, made the call in a recent opinion piece. He argues is the only way to tackle growing frustrations with the federal government in Ottawa. Stefan points to what he sees as Canada's weakening economy and federal policies that limit personal freedoms. He stresses that, signing the petition just supports the right to vote on the issue later, not a direct yes to leaving. Proponents have been collecting signatures for weeks to push the idea forward. The opposition isn't staying quiet. Alberta NDP Deputy Leader Rocky Ponceoli demands Premier Danielle Smith kicks the fawn out of the United Conservative Party caucus. She warns a separation vote could tank the economy, much like past efforts in Quebec drove away businesses and jobs.

1:00Stefan won his seat in 2019 and held it in 2023, despite facing recall efforts lately. He states silence so far when asked for comment on the backlash. Tensions like these highlight deep divides over Alberta's place in the country, with the petition drive still gaining steam. This has been Toronto News Today, powered by AI.