Daneille Smith said the federal government’s decision to fast track the pipeline project shows a welcome change in perspective among those in Ottawa. Photo by David Bloom/Postmedia

Article content

Article content

Albertans head to the polls on Monday, where they will offer their opinion on 10 subjects ranging from changes to Canada’s constitution, abolishing the Senate, health care opt outs and immigration.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

“We’re coming up on the final home stretch here,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told the Financial Post. “I voted. I voted to remain. I’ve been encouraging others who want to send a message to give us a strong mandate on the nine (other) government questions, but we really will be hearing from Albertans on Monday.”

Article content

Polls have shown between 20 and 30 per cent of Albertans would vote to separate from Canada, not enough to be successful, but enough to send a strong message, Smith said.

Article content

“I’m going to have to do a little bit more work, obviously,” she said. “The issues that we’ve addressed have not been sufficient to win that confidence back, but I think it means that myself and the prime minister are really going to have to do a lot more work.”

Article content

Even those who vote to remain in Canada are not necessarily giving a ringing endorsement to the federal government, either, she added.

Article content

“That’s not really a vote that everything’s hunky dory and there’s nothing to work on,” Smith said. “I think it’s a vote of confidence that things are headed in the right direction. That we’ve seen a change in the approach that the federal government has taken on a whole range of issues.”

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Under the current ownership structure, Ottawa and Alberta will split 90 per cent of the pipeline, with Pembina Pipeline Corp. owning the remainder.

Article content

“I think the federal government came to the conclusion that owning this kind of infrastructure was actually a pretty good investment for Canadian taxpayers and they wanted us to stay at the table with them until it is complete,” Smith said.

Article content

Once complete, Pacific Link would carry up to one million barrels of oil every day from Alberta to the British Columbia coast. Prime Minister Mark Carney previously estimated the project would create 140,000 jobs and add $20 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product.

Article content

Smith said the federal government’s decision to fast track the project shows a welcome change in perspective among those in Ottawa.

Article content

“I think there is a genuine effort being made to meet Alberta in the middle and to try to find a path forward for both of us, as well as all of Canada,” she said. “I think that’s a positive change.”

Article content

Article content

Article content