On July 14th, I attended the ‘Sherwood Park’ townhall hosted by Danielle Smith, and came away disoriented, nauseated, and aghast at the degree of manipulation and control. From start to finish, the affair was a masterclass in faux populism designed to demonstrate support for deeply unpopular and dangerous ideas.

As someone who deeply values the democratic tenets of participation, transparency, and accountability, I was disturbed by the disconnection between the six ‘themes’ chosen by the panel and the top concerns of the majority of Albertans today, as well as the treatment of these themes within a heavily controlled format.

If democracy is all about the balanced administration of the will of the people, Smith’s town hall was its opposite. Each theme began with a slickly produced, one-sided video riddled with misleading and patently false statements. 

In a word, propaganda designed to influence and frame audience feedback.

No mention of the value and benefit of federal transfers in the provision of public services like healthcare. No mention of the value of a large Canada Pension Plan in a competitive global economy. No mention of the costs associated with duplicating policing, tax collection, and pension investment and administration.

Smith is gleefully playing to populist sentiments rooted in economic anxiety in an increasingly turbulent world. What a dangerous game.

Whereas she could be talking to healthcare workers, teachers, doctors, farmers, ranchers, and students about how to build a resilient workforce and economy in an honest, collaborative and visionary manner, she is choosing to play to the most base emotions and sentiments.

But I shouldn’t be surprised. Hasn’t that always been the way with Smith? Sew division and fear, and never provide achievable solutions. 

She finds the edge of grievance politics, and keeps resolution out of reach. There’s always a new horizon to her faux populist dissatisfaction. 

It’s so much easier to tear ideas, alliances, communities and services apart than to build them.

And though the engagement, straw polls, online submissions from this dismal sham will surely be the basis for Smith’s narrative into the next election, there are signs of resistance.

The room was basically hand-picked by Smith’s people, but there were voices of reason focusing on Albertans’ quality of life, affordability, and access to strong public services.

Despite trying to erase these voices and themes, Smith is failing to control the narrative outside of their tightly controlled rooms.

Because what makes Alberta strong, and indeed free, are strong public services and honest conversations about Albertans’ hardships today and hopes for the future.

Until Smith understands that she’s the Premier of the entire province, not just a hotel ballroom of separatists, and starts acting like it, Albertans such as myself will continue to advocate for a better future.