Great news! Now what is P.M. Carney going to do to STOP the likes of Danielle Smith in Alberta from gutting public health care by allowing two-tier medicine for select surgeries and allowing physicians to decide on practicing in either/or the public systems? Who supplies all the new practitioners?

Mr. Tombe spoke to a crowd on Monday at the Paul Wells Road Show in YYC. A key message was that real support for AB separation (poll after poll) has not changed more than a single % point over the past few years - it's 22 to 23%. What does change is public PERCEPTION of that notion's popularity.

What happens when your private medical insurance declines coverage for necessary procedures? In the US, 30% or more of medical claims are refused by insurers. Then you are back in line for a public system, you go without treatment, or pay out of pocket for the care you need. Choose wisely! #ABleg

Albertans should be furious, but not at Ottawa! This manipulator's manual is an accurate description of Danielle Smith's daily speaking tactics. She fans the embers of discontent with one hand, while picking the pockets of Albertans with the other hand. Folks, you are being badly deceived! #ABpoli

Smith is the lightning rod, but the UCP is the major culprit. Together they refuse to take real concerns of ABtans to heart. Very few wanted this referendum. Very few want data centres in our midst. Very few want coal mining in our eastern slopes. Most want responsible and responsive Gov't. #ABpoli

Issues that span the partisan divide will lead to the downfall of autocratic Gov'ts which ignore or work contrary to the population's joint opposition. Data centres is one such issue. Coal mining in sensitive areas and foolish support of independence are two more. At your peril Danielle! #ABpoli

There's a long list of policies and legislation imposed by AB's UCP which were NEVER parts of an election platform. They've a slim majority in the legislature but are recklessly acting as if they have a mandate to demolish the Prov's social and economic fabric. AB is being hoodwinked! #ABpoli #ABleg

With numbers like those, the compulsion to gerrymander is especially strong. May actually be their only hope of clinging to power! #ABpoli

Their autocratic nature prevails. It's not what's good for the citizens, rather the desperation to have a finger in every pie that counts with that crowd. They are't even subtle about it, but have zero proof that their way is actually the best way for the majority!

There seem to be some excellent & creative alternatives discussed here to Danielle Smith's unrealistic notions suggested for wrestling Federal influence away via a referendum. Trouble is she & her UCP colleagues have proven themselves to be power-hungry lane-jumpers and want to control everything!

Smith's actions in creating a referendum fiasco harken back to her time as a Public School Board trustee in Calgary when she ratted out her colleagues for "passing notes" and managed to get the board dissolved by the Prov.. When a new election was called, she did not run. An agent of chaos she is!

Asking Albertans to answer a bunch of murky and confusing or anti constitutional questions in a meaningless referendum will only serve to make the UCP Gov’t look bad. They won’t strengthen Alberta’s hand in the least! Whiners not winners! #ABpoli

Yes that, and a by election loss of what was supposed to be a pretty safe seat. Nerves are starting to fray!

Danielle Smith needs to disown those comments STAT, but she won't. Why not? Because she owes her position as Premier to a cadre of supporters who share those same repugnant beliefs. #ABpoli

Maybe, but I still haven't figured out just how much UCP direction comes from Smith herself, versus the unelected characters pulling her strings from dark corners of the room. I think she might get too much personal credit as a deep political manipulator/thinker, and may be more of a figurehead.

All legal residents of Canada, citizens or not, deserve to be and are entitled to have equal education and medical treatment opportunities. If people are in the country to live, to work, then they will also be paying taxes.

meant to say Senior Staff Member!!