Bell: Danielle Smith appears ready to lay it on the line with UCP separatists

You didn’t hear it in Premier Danielle Smith’s TV address Tuesday night.

It wouldn’t have been the time or the place.

Smith was speaking to all Albertans and those in the rest of Canada who were paying attention.

But rumours swirl around and they come from various individuals not known for indulging in idle gossip, the kind of people who sound like they know what they are talking about.

What’s up?

The premier is expected to deliver a message to the United Conservative Party she leads. Soon.

Soon, as in don’t leave town.

So goes the chatter.

Smith has to do something and make it plain to her party what’s what and where she stands and the risks of the conservative movement breaking apart.

The UCP is not a separatist party, though according to the latest poll 54 per cent of UCP supporters said they intended to vote for Option 2, to have a referendum on Alberta independence.

The separatists were defeated by a landslide and never grew their support beyond the true believers in their cause despite their claims they represented way more folks than they actually did.

The UCP has to move ahead as a pro-Canada party.

Alberta is not leaving Canada and Albertans will not stop being Canadians.

Still, there are those separatists who somehow want to remove Smith as UCP leader. They slime the premier at every opportunity.

They claim Smith has betrayed them. They claim she is in league with socialists and globalists and who knows what other villains.

They are on the offensive and, to be honest, a lot of severely normal Albertans, no matter their political stripe, are losing their patience.

We’ve gone through months of hearing the aches and pains of the separatists and those in this province wanting Alberta to remain in Canada won the day when the chips were down.

They won without even breaking a sweat.

That’s a fact. The separatists had their say and they were beaten in almost every riding in the province, including in the heartland of Alberta.

On Tuesday night there was little doubt where Smith was now planting her flag.

Albertans made their choice in an historic voter turnout and will continue to be Canadians and as long as Smith is premier she promises there will not be another referendum.

Get it. NOT ANOTHER REFERENDUM. Been there, done that and don’t even want a T-shirt.

On Tuesday, Smith gave a very pro-Canada speech.

She paid tribute to Canada’s military and the country’s heroes.

She made references to the nation’s history and the greatness of Canada.

She spoke of Canada’s sacred national anthem and the courage of Terry Fox and, yes, hockey.

She told separatists she heard their stories and understood their legitimate frustrations and called them loyal Albertans but wants them to hope in Canada again, saying Canadians are listening and the country is changing in a big way.

The past is the past. The premier says it is time to move forward.

As noted, Smith is expected to have something to say to separatists in the UCP sooner rather than later.

Smith promises to protect and advance the interests of Albertans.

She vows to fight like hell when Ottawa interferes with the rights of Albertans.

Smith is convinced Ottawa is no longer looking to phase out or kill the oilpatch.

A pipeline to the west coast could have shovels in the ground in a year.

Trudeau is gone!

In the referendum vote, Smith says Albertans directed the Alberta government to take greater control of immigration.

The same goes for getting temporary residents to pay a portion of the cost for public services used by themselves and their families, like schooling and health care.

Smith promises to seek an overhaul of equalization even though no one should be holding their breath waiting for that miracle.

She says Canada has so much to offer. Canada is on the rise again. There is more uniting us than dividing us in a Canada where, the premier believes, Alberta is not on the sidelines but leading the way.

Albertans made a choice and not for separatism. Not by a long shot.

For the premier, the next chapter begins.

Can’t wait to hear what Smith says to her party if, in fact, the rumours are true.

Is that an angry separatist I spot gagging in the corner?