Alberta Premier Danielle Smith public statements on immigration have dramatically evolved over the last several years, shifting from strong advocacy for welcoming newcomers to pushing for restrictions and local control leading up to the October 19, 2026 provincial referendum.
The following key quotes trace the timeline of her changing rhetoric:
1. The Pro-Immigration & Population Growth Phase (2023–2024)
Before her recent push for restriction, Smith actively lobbied the federal government to grant Alberta more immigration slots to meet labour demands:
Smith sure flipped flopped on immigration and refugees! Now she wants to cut off immigrant workers and refugees from social programs and charge them for taxpayer funded programs? They pay taxes too!
All this in the richest province in Canada that is short of workers for all the projects and energy development?
Now she is blaming and discouraging immigrants and workers from moving to Alberta?
Is she just catering to the anti immigrant separatists folks in rural Alberta? Why did her thinking change so much?
She is in a heap of trouble because she has managed to piss off most of Alberta one way or the other with a needless referendum.
And really flakey changes in policy.
The following key quotes trace the timeline of her changing rhetoric:
1. The Pro-Immigration & Population Growth Phase (2023–2024)
Before her recent push for restriction, Smith actively lobbied the federal government to grant Alberta more immigration slots to meet labour demands:
- On growing the province: In 2023, Smith publicly mused that she would like to see Alberta's population expand to "10 million people"
- Lobbying for more workers: During her 2024 push to increase Alberta's allocations for the Provincial Nominee Program , she emphasized that higher immigration was vital for economic growth, explicitly welcoming those fleeing global conflict by calling them essential to fill "active business vacancies"
Smith sure flipped flopped on immigration and refugees! Now she wants to cut off immigrant workers and refugees from social programs and charge them for taxpayer funded programs? They pay taxes too!
All this in the richest province in Canada that is short of workers for all the projects and energy development?
Now she is blaming and discouraging immigrants and workers from moving to Alberta?
Is she just catering to the anti immigrant separatists folks in rural Alberta? Why did her thinking change so much?
She is in a heap of trouble because she has managed to piss off most of Alberta one way or the other with a needless referendum.
And really flakey changes in policy.