Alberta held three by-elections on Monday night, with two ridings in Edmonton on the line in addition to the debut of the Alberta Republicans, a separatist party whose leader was running in Old-Disbury-Three Hills, a historic riding that once elected the first separatist politician outside of Quebec.

In the province's capital, NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi will officially enter the Alberta legislature after cruising to victory. The former Calgary mayor won the NDP leadership contest almost exactly a year prior before capturing his seat.

Meanwhile, in Old-Disbury-Three Hills, Alberta Republican leader Cameron Davies failed to win the riding, but performed nearly neck-and-neck with the NDP in the rural riding. Though it wasn't quite the result separatists were hoping for, nearly one in five voters were still willing to back a party that supports a split from Canada.

Rebel News hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle were joined by a number of guests who weighed in on what Monday's by-elections meant for Alberta as the province debates what lies ahead.

Marty Belanger: Separatists play an important role in Alberta's future

Marty Belanger, a political commentator known on social media as @MartyUpNorth, joined Sheila and Lise, providing his views on the benefits of a separatist party putting candidates on the ballot.

“If we were starting a fresh slate across the province, then strategic voting would be important,” Marty said, addressing concerns about conservative vote splitting. “I think there's an important role to be played by a separatist party in the province.”

The political commentator said he wasn't certain on Alberta's best path forward, but said he felt “having a party that's geared (toward separatism)” puts pressure on the issue. 

“By-elections, by design, are excellent times for constituents to send a message,” he said.

Karla Joy Treadway: Most Canadians don't have the facts on Western separation

Karla Joy Treadway (@thesovereignceo), entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and host of The Sovereign CEO podcast, joined Sheila and Lise to discuss the general Eastern sentiment toward the Western separatist movement.

“I think Canadians aren't equipped with information… The Left has the biggest weapon right now, which is institutionalized media,” Karla said. “The Laurentian elite, anyone who works for the government—they have no idea. I would be surprised if they even know about the payments that are going to the East Coast. Canadians know so very little about how our country is structured.”

Karla emphasized the importance of remaining unified on the Right—especially if a referendum doesn’t go in the separatists’ favour.

“The Left never fractures. So the very things that make us Conservatives—our high integrity, our common sense—it also really works against us because we will constantly fracture ourselves,” she pointed out. “We cannot keep fracturing… We're going to have to compromise and work together.”

Sheila and Lise react to Nenshi's victory speech

NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi took the stage to thank his supporters and opponents following an easy victory in Edmonton-Strathcona, the seat previously held by former premier and NDP leader, Rachel Notley. Rebel hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle reacted live to Nenshi's remarks as it happened.

“His mannerisms are so annoying,” bemoaned Sheila. “Everything about it annoys the daylights out of me, and now I have to watch it in the legislature.”

The former Calgary mayor's 15-minute victory was too much for the Rebel hosts, as Lise said she couldn't “listen to his blathering on” for more than a few minutes.

“He's insufferable and now we get to hear from him a lot more,” Lise added, predicting Nenshi would become a “mainstay” on the Rebel Roundup livestream's “Daily Dose of Cringe” segment.

Alberta Republicans had a strong ground game in Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills

Podcaster 222 Minutes, a resident of the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills riding, joined Sheila and Lise, where he discussed the separatist Alberta Republicans' performance.

Olds, a secure riding for Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives, was one “of the key places where you can send messages to people in power,” given the party was unlikely to capture either of Edmonton's ridings. 

“I think there was about one NDP lawn sign,” 222 told Sheila and Lise. “It was interesting, probably about four or five to one, was Republican Party signs to [United] Conservative Party signs. The Republican Party signs were everywhere in multiple towns, not just mine.”

Tariq Elnaga: Separation sentiment now mainstream, but action required

Tariq Elnaga, who previously lived in Dubai but fell in love with Alberta after visiting the Calgary Stampede, joined Sheila and Lise to discuss the future of the province.

“On one hand, I’m very encouraged to see that independence, separation, autonomy, sovereignty, whichever way you put it, is becoming more and more mainstream, more acceptable. And people are talking about it,” he said.

“But I’m a man of action, and I want to see action."

Elnaga described the two ways he believes independence in Alberta could play out.

“I’ve always said independence could come as a switch, one morning we’re a a part of Canada, then in the afternoon we’re not. Or, what I think will come is incrementalism, where Alberta has its own pension plan, own police force, control of its own resources, control of its own airspace and transport corridors to the point that Ottawa becomes irrelevant.”

Watch the full livestream below:

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