Jason Kenney and Keith Wilson face off in debate over Alberta's future

Añadido: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]You're this movement is going to split the governing conservative party right down the middle of this carries on. We have strength. We need to stop begging.

[00:00:08]We need to be fair and we can get a respectful relationship with Canada and we can be our own country.

[00:00:18]>> Good afternoon. It's Tamar Leech here with Rebel News and I am downtown Calgary this afternoon for a debate between constitutional lawyer Keith Wilson KC and the former Premier of Alberta and former member of Parliament for the Conservatives, the Honorable Jason Kenny. Now, this isn't the first time these two have met. They did debate about 3 weeks ago in Edmonton at a private event, but this will be the first one that is open to the public.

[00:00:42]And as you can see, there is a huge crowd here. And actually the event is is completely sold out. Now the Aristotle Foundation has called this the debate over Canada. And from their website they say this will be an evening of rigorous debate and civil discourse between two leading voices who take opposing sides on one of the most consequential questions facing the country today. So let's wander around. We're going to talk to some of the attendees and see what they're hoping to take away from today's event. that I believe Alberta should become independent. Will my kids, will my grandkids, and will my neighbors be better off in an independent Alberta or by staying in Canada? And every time I run that calculation, I always come back to the same conclusion.

[00:01:33]>> What brings you down to the debate this afternoon?

[00:01:36]>> I traveled here from Medicine Hat to see uh Keith Wilson, and I know he's going to do a really good job. I've been following him for a few years now.

[00:01:46]>> Had an interest in Keith Wilson and certainly Jason Kenny and my friend Randy said we should come to this thing.

[00:01:52]So hence we're here and >> I wanted to hear the debate. Yes.

[00:01:56]>> And see how it is. I have my own opinions about where I think Canada should be going and certainly Alberta.

[00:02:01]>> But um everybody's entitled to a vote and I think um we want to know a little bit more about what's actually happening here.

[00:02:08]>> I love listening to Keith Wilson. His calming effect. I agree with everything he says and he presents it very calm and uh intelligently and it he just explains the whole cost. So I'm here for Keith Wilson. We're friends of Dennis Kalmas as well. Great.

[00:02:25]>> And so we've been following this and we're big flag flying those type of people.

[00:02:30]>> And what do you what are you hoping to take away from tonight's event? uh just to figure out what exactly is going on because every day there seems to be something different uh in the news. So I I would like to see uh Kenny speak. I I'm not that familiar with him other than his name and what he's done.

[00:02:49]>> Yeah. And if you could predict um who the victor may be this evening, who do you think is going to be the champion here tonight?

[00:02:56]>> Oh, definitely Keith Wilson. He's a constitutional lawyer and he knows the topic inside out. upside down and backwards.

[00:03:04]>> Would you w would you make a prediction on who you think is going to come out the victor in this evening's debate?

[00:03:10]>> Oh, I'm a I I think I'm big favorite of Keith Wilson.

[00:03:14]>> He's very smart man.

[00:03:15]>> Yes.

[00:03:15]>> And very ticulate. They're both very articulate.

[00:03:18]>> Yes. Yes. I've listened to them both before. Uh but I have uh I think uh Keith Wilson is u being a constitutional lawyer and been around and certainly with the things that happened the trucker convoy and stuff like that. So I'm very aware of uh his performance system.

[00:03:36]>> I don't believe that a country is simply a balance sheet or a economic calculus.

[00:03:41]It is something much deeper. it is uh embedded in our citizenship uh as Canadians is a set of reciprocal loyalties and I'm oldfashioned about believing in the old virtues like loyalty like patriotism like love of country which means respecting those who have gone before us who made sacrifices to build what we have inherited and indeed a reciprocal obligation to pass those advantages on to future generations >> and I'm here with the lovely lawyer Eva Chipak this evening Eva, what did you think of the debate tonight?

[00:04:14]>> Really interesting. Of course, um, a little bit of emotion, which is great.

[00:04:20]Obviously, this is a issue that's so near and dear to so many people's hearts, and it's nice to hear people expressing it, their thoughts and concerns about it. Keith mentioned this many times, and for me, the the thing I just can't get over is how much fear is being spewed.

[00:04:38]>> This is the end of any future for the Albert oil and gas industry. And I just think especially from somebody that was a former premier here and an elected official, lead with confidence instead of fear. And it's just such an odd place that I see that conversation coming from. But >> yes, >> it I I don't very much understand how you could >> that that's the talking point that you present and bring forward.

[00:05:07]>> Here we are. But we are now 150 days away from a referendum that could throw us into a period of years of chaos and division.

[00:05:16]>> Well, I happened to run into former MLA Rick Strikeman here at the debate tonight. Rick, it's so great to see you and pleasure to see you.

[00:05:24]>> What are your takeaway thoughts from the debate this evening?

[00:05:27]>> Well, I thought it was a great uh interview and seasoned uh debaters, both Mr. Kenny and Keith Wilson, but uh uh uh Keith seemed to have the ear of the crowd from what I could detect. Uh the the loudest applause and the most uh bantering, if you will, some would call it heckling uh came from supporters from Mr. Wilson.

[00:05:49]>> And uh I think that freedom is a powerful tool >> and uh and you know uh well uh you fought for it as well. So uh it's something to rever >> and my friend points out about be careful before you tear down the fence and he also points out about the institution the glory of the institutions Canada's institutions with all due respect are corrupt and we've all witnessed it. We've all witnessed it and it's tragic and it's sad and you know whose hearts bleed the most when they see it? the veterans because that's not what they fought for. That's not what they fought for at all. The Canada that exists today is not the Canada they fought for. And the reality is, you know, bankruptcy in 1936, Alberta ain't going bankrupt. Ottawa is. We need to separate from them. When you're told to be careful about what you tear down, that fence, the truth of the matter, the sad truth of the matter is that fence that Mr. Kenny describes is laying on the ground rotting and we need to build a new one for us.

[00:07:04]>> It was so great to see a packed auditorium in here tonight because this is a very important conversation. I'm very happy that there was uh people in the audience, you know, that sit on both sides of this fence because we, as they alluded to at the beginning, they need to have these types of conversations. We need to be able to have these kinds of conversations so that we can progress and move forward either way.

[00:07:24]>> Yes. Yeah. in a civil society that's important you know and uh and uh you know Mr. Kenny didn't have any plans uh Keith was talking about various things going forward but uh Mr. Kenny's arguments just reverted back to fear.

[00:07:38]Fear of change. We're fear we can't do this, we can't do that. Well, you know, uh 250 years ago, actually, Tamara, and I'm going to be attending uh Washington uh for the 250, you know, like a number of years ago, and they started 25 years before your Declaration of Independence to to be to form the greatest country in the world.

[00:07:57]>> I heard a big cheer for unilateral Declaration of Independence. The next day, Ottawa cancels your Canadian passport. Good luck getting to the United States. The next day, uh, Ayata no longer recognizes international flights out of Alberta.

[00:08:10]>> For example, one of the things he said is basically the day after the referendum, Alberta's going to fall apart and spiral out of control. I mean, um, all all the all the businesses were going to suddenly get up and leave. He suggested that our Pat passports will be immediately taken away and all the airports will shut down. What's your response to to that?

[00:08:28]>> It's laughable. Like that doesn't actually happen. So, a referendum is a voice of the people. Nothing changes legally. No passports on the next day expire. For somebody in Jason's position to say that to citizens is just completely disrespectful in my view. You were in government. You were the premier of the province. You're there to govern people and listen to their voices.

[00:08:56]Don't fear import fear on them with things that don't even make any sense too like on what authority are you saying that your passport will be expired the next day right >> that's nonsense >> fight is what you heard now hang on I don't want you to applaud for this because let me put it in context why is it that a province with people that work as hard as we do in Alberta that contribute and send so much to Ottawa every year. Why is it when we are blessed with the third largest reserve of oil and gas in the world that we can safely deliver around the world and equally important to the largest customer in the world right across our border when we send all that money to Ottawa.

[00:09:47]The role we have in Confederation. Why is it that we're always having to fight for things? Why are we always having to go and bank? It makes no sense. I'm certain if the Martian came down and you explained what was going on here, he'd go, "Don't you have Line Nine that supplies all most of the oil and gas to Ontario and Quebec?" Yeah. And then the TMX to uh Vancouver. What are you doing?

[00:10:13]Why are you always on your knees begging? Why are you always in court?

[00:10:17]And when you're in court, because anybody got a plastic straw right now?

[00:10:21]Anybody got a plastic bag from Safeway?

[00:10:23]No, because Ottawa ignores the court rulings. They don't care.

[00:10:28]>> Keith laid it out quite nicely. I think Albertans are tired of fighting. Um, we have the people, we have the resources, we have, you know, we have all these um this the talent and I think Albertans are getting tired of fighting and they want to move forward and be prosperous and, you know, just they just want to raise their families. Well, and Keith summarized it by saying that uh our potential future is worse than the risk of of of the unknown. Uh and I think that's that's an important point because uh you know uh Premier former Premier Kenny talked about uh uh forming all this development, economic development, this and that. Oh, we're going to talk to the feds. Well, the more economic development we create, the more the feds are going to appreciate the equalization checks. they're going to appreciate the CPP checks. They're on the dole. They're on the take. There's no incentive for them to change. You know, it's only in us. It's only our We have to take leadership. And and you know, you were there. You were on ground zero. And I know from my previous to you in the in the convoy and and us going to jail for uh for our rights. And that's it's so basic when you look at it. It's not about glamour or whatever. It it's so plain really when you distill it all down. You're doing the right thing and and the greatest country of the world in my point of view was is founded on those principles >> and we should never sherk that.

[00:11:53]>> Yeah. Agreed. I agree. Yeah. Nobody is coming to save us. And um I think >> Exactly. And it's the Albertan way, right? I mean, you know, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Yeah.

[00:12:04]>> And it's uh not just the energy industry, too. So all these ideological laws that are really affecting people like mate uh gun culture um in Alberta is different than what Canada is imposing. And so it's always we're we're always on a our backst step and trying to defend and get something. And Jason took it as a win when all these constitutional questions were won in court.

[00:12:30]Why is it that we have to go to the Supreme Court of Canada and get them to like where is the partnership with Ottawa? Where is the like how can we work at better with you? What is it that you need? What is it that your culture needs? And you never get that. And and that that didn't come from Jason Kenny.

[00:12:47]And I guess I could see that because one thing I don't I I think Keith was being respectful in that Jason Kenny is part of that broken system. So, I think it's hard for him to acknowledge it when he's part of the problem.

[00:13:02]>> The latest endeavor is that Keith and I are co-leading the Alberta Transition Council. And the purpose of that council and that team is to make a workable, real transition plan to take us from the day we win the referendum until the first day we are separated from the Canada.

[00:13:20]>> And I mean, that's another thing about being Albertan. We are trailblazers. you know, so many ways, >> you know, we were we built this from the frontier. So, I mean, I think there's I think there's so many positives personally that could come out of it.

[00:13:33]Um, obviously, it's it's a huge issue.

[00:13:36]There's going to be so many things um that'll have to get sorted.

[00:13:39]>> Well, there's going to be setbacks. I mean, you look at the American history, they were throwing tea in the water in 1750, and they did it in, I understand, as many as 30 different locations, you know, and that, you know, that's not even reported. didn't mean all of a sudden they just popped up with a Declaration of Independence. No, no, no.

[00:13:56]They were they were scrambling and they were fighting and they were actually a lot of people don't know this. They were fighting against the world's greatest power, >> right?

[00:14:03]>> So, Alberta, you know, and Jason Kenny's wetting his pants over Mark Carney and a bunch of liberals from Ontario. I don't think so, Jason. We got Albertans are far better than that. They are just wrapping up the closing remarks inside of the auditorium here at the Grand Theater and I wanted to come out and just give you some of the thoughts that I had as I jotted down some notes throughout the debate. Mark Milky put it very well at the beginning of this program when he stated that this is the reason that we have debates is to prevent division um through discourse.

[00:14:33]We need to have these conversations. We need be we need to be able to feel free enough to have these types of conversations. My takeaway from this evening's events, Keith Wilson KC laid out the facts. He laid out a path forward. He's uh he alluded to the fact that he started the Alberta Transition Council to create the white papers on the process of leaving Alberta and transitioning into an independent country. There was a lot of independence-minded Albertans in in the crowd. He received a lot of applause. Um Jason Kenny not so much. However, there was definitely a pocket of Federalists in the crowd, and it's good to see. This is what we want to see in debates. Um Jason Kenny came out again, spoke a lot about feelings, spoke a lot about loyalty, but he didn't lay out any clear plan. Uh he didn't laid out no clear p plan for how we're going to achieve more equality and autonomy um as a province if we stay in Canada. He didn't present any clear plan uh to move forward that's going to create a strong stronger Alberta.

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