Alberta panel formed to fight federal overreach questioned over proposed cuts to newcomers

Two members of Alberta's new $2-million panel fighting federal overreach say they aren't responsible for the messaging and ideas on the panel's website, including a suggestion to end social supports for some newcomers.

"I can't comment on what the province has put up in the website," Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta, said in an interview Wednesday.

Legge and University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe are two of 15 people introduced by Premier Danielle Smith this week for the Alberta Next panel.

The panel, led by Smith, is set to tour the province this summer to hear concerns from citizens surrounding ways to stop unwarranted meddling in Alberta's affairs from Prime Minister Mark Carney's government. The panel is to recommend a series of questions to be put to a referendum next year.

Legge, who stood beside Smith the day before at a press conference announcing the panel, said he agreed with messaging on the panel's website that blames housing costs and unemployment on "disastrous" immigration rates.

In the interview, he said immigration levels, especially for temporary foreign workers and international students, are out of control.

"The numbers have gotten so high that Canada simply cannot keep up from a social service standpoint, housing standpoint, access to doctors and physicians standpoint," he said.

But he declined to comment on the panel polling Albertans on cutting social services like health care and education to immigrants not sanctioned by Alberta.

Politicians of all parties, of all governments, are in the business of persuading- Trevor Tombe

Tombe, in an interview, also said the panel's website ideas originate with the government.

"I can't speak to the government's marketing decisions," Tombe said. "Politicians of all parties, of all governments, are in the business of persuading."

Asked if he agreed that cutting service access was a solution, Tombe said he didn't agree with the immigration problems as they were illustrated on the panel's website.

He said it's not clear if the government is more concerned about population pressures, international students, or housing shortages but said in each instance reality is more complicated than what is laid out by the government.

"If we can clearly define what the actual concern is, then we can get into a more productive policy conversation about how to address it," he said.

The panel's website says immigration over the past decade has been "disastrous" and done "without any sort of proper vetting."

"Housing prices have skyrocketed. Unemployment keeps increasing as immigration outpaces job growth. And sadly, many of the divisions and disputes that plague other countries have begun making their way into ours," the website reads.

To counteract this, the website says Alberta could issue its own immigration permits and cut off those who don't have them from accessing provincially-funded services.

Smith has spoken about the panel for months, characterizing it as part of a two-track process, to listen to Albertans' concerns while also negotiating with Ottawa on ways to reduce federal rules and policies Smith says are undermining energy development and Alberta's overall prosperity.

Smith's government has also loosened referendum rules, making it easier for citizens to gather signatures for public votes on hot topics including separating from Canada.

The immigration proposal and messaging on other ideas for consideration drew criticism from provincial and federal counterparts.

In Calgary, Federal Industry Minister Melanie Joly, asked by reporters about the panel, said she was "not necessarily" keeping up with it, but added, "I'm personally a very important proponent of national unity."

Alberta Independent Senator Paula Simons posted on social media that Smith's government was embarking on a "vile hate campaign" when it comes to its proposed immigration measures.

"This bitter xenophobia is as un-Albertan as it's possible to be."

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Opposition Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the panel's ideas are "worrisome" and "full of extremist language that has no place in our province."

Smith's press secretary, Sam Blackett, responded to emailed questions on the immigration issue by sending quotes from the panel's website.

He also said that a potential Alberta-approved immigration permit would be granted to those who move to the province under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, which fast-tracks the permanent residency process for workers in sought after sectors like health care, technology and law enforcement.

Blackett said permanent residents also wouldn't be blocked from accessing services.