Danielle Smith was asked about the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) holding a second round of meetings with officials in the United States, with the premier once again reiterating her support for “a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.”

Smith said her duty as premier was to negotiate a “grand bargain” with Ottawa, to attempt to pressure the Liberals to remove their “nine bad laws” that are hindering economic development in Alberta.

On Wednesday's Buffalo Roundtable panel, former opposition leader Stockwell Day and constitutional lawyer Keith Wilson joined Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle to discuss the premier's comments and the APP's push for integration with the U.S.

“I thought that was probably the best answer that she could have given,” remarked Sheila Gunn Reid. “She has said that she's not going to get in the way of the democratic will of the people. Perfect, isn't that what we want?”

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Canada's unique process allowing a province to become independent and proximity to the U.S. could come into play, noted Keith Wilson. “Carney, with a minority government, and without the blessing of the House of Commons, announced unilateral recognition of the state of Palestine,” he said. “That opens the door for Donald Trump and his administration to acknowledge the independent state, country, of Alberta if there's a referendum.”

The Americans' receptiveness to hold talks with a group like the APP “is profoundly significant and something Carney and the Liberals should be taking extremely seriously.”

Smith is “getting a lot of push from her own party,” said Stockwell Day, adding the premier is “being realistic” about any potential separation. However, “it's good for the premier to be reminding Prime Minister Carney that you can't take this for granted.”

Recalling former PM Jean Chrétien's stance on Quebec's independence, he cautioned that Chrétien “almost lost the country by a half of a percent.” While the former Opposition leader feels a majority of Albertans likely won't vote to leave in a referendum, “it will be close,” he said, encouraging the Alberta leader to “do all she can” to influence the federal government.

Canada's economy is trending downwards as Liberal spending keeps going up, Stockwell continued. “The economics are going to catch them,” he said. “Threading the needle could be the word for Premier Smith, but she's fighting aggressively for Alberta, there's no question about that.”