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On Wednesday's live stream, Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle reacted to Danielle Smith condemning the federal government for overtaxing Albertans in order to send funds to Liberal voting regions like Quebec.

Speaking at an Alberta Next town hall event in Fort McMurray on Tuesday, the premier took aim at the Liberals' controversial equalization program.

"Alberta, year after year, has $20 billion to $25 billion that is siphoned out of our system to go to Ottawa so that it can be spent mostly in Quebec but also in other places that vote Liberal," she said.

"We have been watching this for years. $600 billion in the last 40 or 50 years that has been taken out of this province," Smith continued.

Equalization holds Alberta back and encourages dysfunctional policies that stifle growth in other provinces.

The Equalization and Federal Transfer system are broken and must be entirely overhauled. pic.twitter.com/zM6bLDYuDg

— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) August 13, 2024

"You don't think we might be able to do a little bit more on social spending if those $20 billion to $25 billion stayed here? You don't think we'd be able to cut taxes a bit if those $20 billion to $25 billion stayed here?" the premier stated.

"It is $5000 per Albertan that every single year gets transferred out of this province for political reasons so that the Liberals can continue to spend it in places that vote Liberal," Smith added.

The federal government's treatment of Alberta has faced increasing scrutiny as separation sentiment has spiked following another Liberal victory in the federal election.

The premier's Alberta Next Panel townhall events were launched to address concerns residents may have with the province's relationship with the federal government.