Alberta UCP in Unity Row Amid Separation Talk

0:00It's March 31st. Welcome in. This is Canada News Today, where local news meets AI, Encorey, with the story. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her United Conservative crew are doubling down on their love for a United Canada, even as the opposition knew. Democrats label them closeted separatists. This all blew up in the legislature on Monday, after UCP backbencher, Jason Steffen pinned a column, urging folks to sign a petition for separation, referendum. The spark came just days earlier in the western standard outlet, where Steffen pushed that citizen initiative hard, NDP deputy leader Rocky Ponceoli fired back, calling the UCP a severedist party, and demanding Smith boot Stefan from caucus for his open stance. UCP ministers like municipal affairs minister Dan Williams jumped in quick, stressing their patriotism by noting they just belted out the national. Anthem together. They flipped the script, questioning the NDP's loyalty to Alberta over federal NDP leader

1:02Jagmeet Singh's pipeline opposition, which even Alberta NDP. Boss Nahid Nenshi is pushing back on. Smith addressed it later at a news conference, drawing a line that elected officials shouldn't lead these petitions. Leave that to citizens. She frames Stefan's move as backing democratic processes, not crossing into active separatism. Tensions keep simmering as Nenshi calls out Smith's past caucus kicks for lesser beefs, wondering who she'll sideline next while separatists talk. Lingers in the air.