Bell: Lefties chill out! Smith is no racist for wanting immigration changes in Alberta

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal NewsNationalPoliticsOpinionColumnists Bell: Lefties chill out! Smith is no racist for wanting immigration changes in Alberta Premier Danielle Smith isn't backing down on immigration Author of the article: By Rick Bell Published Sep 23, 2026 Last updated 57 minutes ago 3 minute read Join the conversation Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks to the Alberta Municipalities Annual Convention & Trade Show in Edmonton on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. David Bloom/Postmedia Article content Hear the howls of outrage! Witness the wailing and the gnashing of teeth! See the accusations of racism! Article content If we were talking about a real presence of racism, if we were speaking of the evil of racism rearing its ugly head, fair-minded people should stand up and denounce it. Article content Article content But what we have here is a script that’s become oh-so-predictable, a playbook trotted out anytime anyone dares to approach anything to do with the topic of immigration. Article content Article content So it is with Premier Danielle Smith and her UCP government. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content Albertans will cast their ballots in less than a month, on Oct. 19, and it is not all about whether Alberta should go down the road to a vote on the province leaving Canada. Article content There are other ballots, including on where to go on immigration. Article content One idea. Article content The Smith government wants to know what Albertans think of temporary residents being charged a fee or premium for their use and their family’s use of the health system and the school system. Article content A fee for temporary residents. Not permanent residents. Not Canadian citizens. Just temporary residents. Article content Temporary residents are not singled out by ethnicity or religion or country of origin or the colour of their skin. Article content The government says tax-paying temporary residents kick in $150 million into the Alberta treasury and take out about $1 billion. Article content The math clearly does not work. Article content So if Albertans agree, there could be a…