When a government spends public money to advertise for one answer on a ballot it is also responsible for administering fairly, that is worth pausing on regardless of how you plan to vote.
On September 7, 2026, the Neo-Nazis, AfD party won big in a regional election in Germany. Elon Musk congratulated the party (in German) on the result, and in return received “thanks for your support” from the AfD’s lead candidate.
Campaigning for the right wing in 1925: The AfD’s roots go back to Weimar. (Photo: SZ Photo / picture alliance)
The AfD policies are a template of Hitler’s Nazis in the 1930s.
Prominent AfD politician Björn Höcke was convicted and fined for using the banned Nazi paramilitary slogan, “Everything for Germany”. (NOTE: Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defence, uses the term, “Everything for America” in his book American Crusade)
So what’s that got to do with Alberta?
New Light
That same day, the Alberta Provincial Government’s Executive Director in Calgary was quick to join in the celebrations.
“Finally, someone on a major stage saying it out loud instead of hiding behind slogans. Shout it from the rooftops please Alice! You can’t run a welfare state, bring in millions who need support and keep energy prices this high without the books blowing up. It’s also tearing up the social fabric and native culture. People are waking up.”
The statement from a key official in the Alberta government puts the October 19th Referendum questions on immigration in a whole new light.
“Native culture” will be an ongoing issue with Alberta separation talk.
And then on September 10th, Jocelyn told me the Edmonton Journal reported that the UCP government was spending $4 million to convince Albertans to vote Yes to the first nine questions on the October 19 referendum.
I told her she must’ve misunderstood the article because a democratically elected government would not tell citizens how to vote in a referendum.
But sure enough, as I have been in the past, I was wrong.
Edmonton Journal
$4 million to convince Albertans in a referendum to hear how Albertans are thinking that they should think YES is the answer.
Cause for Pause
I gave the government grace that the referendum wasn’t concocted to push an agenda.
That they wanted to hear from Albertans.
That the outcome wouldn’t be rigged.
As the Premier said in her television address on February 19th, “I look forward… to receiving your decision on the questions outlined.”
Her words sounded neutral and objective.
Now, we’re told that YES to the nine questions is THE response Albertans should give.
And taxpayer money is being used to push the government’s preferred answers.
The issue isn’t the $ it’s the principle. Or unprincipled behaviour.
This is a wolf of a government campaign in the sheep’s clothing of a referendum.
I’m certain that’s not good politics and it’s terrible leadership.
Isn’t it reasonable to believe that a government should remain entirely neutral during a public referendum?
Why ask in the first place if YES has always been the promoted answer?
I wrote to my MLA asking, among other things, “What government department budget line the $4 million is drawn from and whether it required legislative approval.”
“The mistake is to assume that rulers who came to power through institutions cannot change or destroy those very institutions.”
― Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
This is not a political post. It’s about something bigger. It’s about the democratic institutions that have safe guarded Canadians and Albertans.
What do you think? Am I missing something? Join the conversation and post a comment below.
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Good Morning Pastor Bob. I agree with you on all points. The UCP Government should not be allowed to use taxpayer’s money.. to promote this agenda. As far as I’m concerned, Danielle Smith has always been in Trump’s pocket & she has supported & aligned with his agenda all along. Using taxpayer’s money to fly herself to his inauguration & to be sitting in on Tucker Carlson’s “Road show” across Canada. We all know whose side she is on….& supports separatism, being The 51st State. We are not all fooled by her rhetoric. I do not support her ideas & plans for Alberta’s future & indeed Canada’s future. “United we stand, divided we fall”. Elbows Up! Thank you for sharing this blog with us. Have a great week! Keep on, keeping on. ❤️
It’s very upsetting. Total agreement Bob. I am getting so tired of the deceit our government is demonstrating on almost every issue. That is a polite word … so glad I can fall back on Gods promise that he is in control. I wish I knew how to speak up without splitting the church and taking the focus off Jesus.
I’ve been disappointed by the behaviour of this government and once again find myself there. There is only lip service paid to “hearing” Albertans who are not a part of the UCP base.
Wise observation, Rod, about speaking up but not dividing. I’ve had that conversation with pastors in the last 72 hours.
Be informed by reading BOTH sides of issue – not just the side you are familiar with.
Talk to an informed person who holds a view differing from yours.
Be empathetic. Think how the outcome will affect others who are not like you. For whom will an outcome improve life? Whose lives will be worse off?
Of course, make time to vote.
Good Morning Pastor Bob. I totally agree with you. Spending taxpayer’s money to tell us how to vote really grates on me. I believe I also heard that the government is spending another $2 million on an ad campaign encouraging voters to vote to remain a part of Canada. And I believe the referendum itself is costing taxpayers in the neighbourhood of $4 million. That’s a total of $10 million of taxpayer’s money spent on a referendum that was totally uncalled for in my opinion. I can think of much better uses for that money!
Great post Bob. For many of us living outside of Alberta it is very difficult to understand what is going on. At a time when the very existence of Canada is being challenged, it seems crazy that a Province would decide that it should hold a referendum on separation, let alone have it be promoted by it’s own government. Why? Because they want more oil revenues? Because they don’t like immigration? Because they don’t accept the science of climate change? Because they don’t want government funded healthcare? Because they don’t like some of the books in the schools? Like the MAGA movement It is so ironic that much of the rhetoric includes “freedom” when their policies actually erode freedom. It is all bizarre and tragic to me.
The irony is startling but reminds me of the phrase, “Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.” This not the first and won’t be the last government that champions freedom while assaulting it in a segment of the population.
I understand the referendum is up at $130 million in cost. Elections Alberta needs to hire 60,000 people to work at the polling stations. The are advertising outside of Alberta to find help. Wasted taxpayer dollars on a needless referendum.