Janice Irwin recently took to social media to address her Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood constituents about Alberta independence. In the video, the NDP MLA “unequivocally” denounced separatism through a brief pledge and called on the United Conservatives and Premier Danielle Smith to do the same.

On Thursday's Rebel Roundup livestream, Sheila Gunn Reid and Tamara Ugolini shared their reactions to Irwin's message. 

“Leave it to the NDP to try to compel speech from other political leaders,” sighed Tamara. “It reminds me of land acknowledgements; it reminds me of declaring your pronouns,” she said, calling it “absolute nonsense.”

But it was Sheila, a passionate advocate for Alberta's independence, who said Irwin's cringe-inducing comments would fuel more support for separatism.

“This stuff makes me more of a separatist every time I see it,” she said, joking she's glad not to be on the side of the NDP MLA. “Thank you for signing that paper.”

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Sheila continued: “Now, 100 years of structural inequities are suddenly resolved. At least 11 years of attacks on our oil and gas sector completely resolved. All of a sudden, we have greater representation in the Senate because you signed the stupid piece of paper that you think is a wedge issue for some reason.”

Those who support the independence movement are almost entirely UCP voters, the Alberta-based Rebel said.

“It doesn't alienate people from separatism — it drives them to it. When I see that I get to be on the other side of the issue than this crazy person? Sign me up, sister.”

Shifting gears to Smith, Sheila said the premier had repeatedly clarified her position as a federalist. “She's not compelling the speech of MLAs; they are basically staying out of this.”

Taking it a step further, the UCP is “doing things which undermine the efforts of the separatist movement,” she said, suggesting actions like creating a provincial police force, blocking the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying are things that independence-minded Albertans are seeking.

“I think that is actually helpful to Janice's cause of staying inside of the country, she just doesn't want to acknowledge that because then she'd have to say that Danielle Smith is doing the things that people want, and that's a little too much honesty for these kookalous.”