Ep 47: Higher Costs. Deeper Divides. What’s Driving Alberta Right Now?

Alberta can feel like two places at once: a province of mountains, parks, and big ambition, and a province carrying a new political tension that keeps showing up in national headlines. 

I sit down with NDP MLA Lizette Tejada, Alberta’s shadow Minister for Immigration and Multiculturalism, to talk through what is actually happening beneath the noise and what it means for everyday life in 2026. 

We unpack Alberta’s plan to add citizenship markers to government IDs and why it raises real concerns about privacy, stigma, and discrimination, especially for newcomers and racialize Albertans. 

We also challenge the claim the Smith government is putting forward that a marker “streamlines services” when healthcare and education are already under strain, and when added red tape costs money without improving outcomes. 

If you care about immigration policy, multiculturalism, civil liberties, or how governments quietly reshape everyday life, this part of the conversation will stick with you.

From there we move to the affordability crisis in Alberta: minimum wage stagnation, fast-rising rents, utilities after caps come off, and insurance increases that hit households month after month. 

We connect those pressures to the rise in separatist rhetoric, and we talk about how to hold space for frustration without feeding grievance politics that creates uncertainty and threatens Alberta’s economic future inside Canadian confederation.

Quick heads up: this episode was recorded on March 6, 2026 so while the news may have changed the thoughts and ideas still remain relevant. 

Make sure to subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. 

Transcript

Alberta’s Beauty And Political Heat

Julia Pennella, Host 0:00

Welcome back to another podcast episode. Today we're taking the story out west to the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and diving into all things Alberta with its world-class national parks, wildlife, cowboy culture, and the century-old tradition of the Calgary stampede. Oh, and miles and miles of oil rakes powering Canada's economy. There's a lot of beauty in this province. But lately, Alberta's been making headlines for something else. It's politics. Because over the last few years, the temperature has really been rising. We've seen growing separatist rhetoric. A referendum expected this fall asking Albertans to weigh in on immigration, voting status, and the province's place in Canada's constitutional makeup. Add to that, there's reports of book bans in schools and libraries, and even separatist groups meeting with U.S. officials. And all of this is unfolding against a bigger backdrop of global tension, with Donald Trump's repeated calls for Canada to become the 51st state. It's raising eyebrows across the country. In fact, BC Premier David Edby didn't mince words calling the behavior coming out of Alberta as treasonous at a first minister's meeting earlier this year. So yeah, there's a lot to unpack. And my guest today has a front seat to all of it. Joining me today is NDP MLA Lizette Tejada, and she's also the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Multiculturalism. In this episode, we get into the province's plan to add citizenship markers to government IDs and why that raises serious concerns around privacy, discrimination, and who gets flagged in everyday life. We also talk about affordability because this isn't abstract. Rent is going up, utilities are climbing, insurance is hitting harder every single month. And we connect the dots between those pressures and the rise of separatist rhetoric. What's real, what's political, and what's a risk if we get this wrong? Because the frustration is real, but what we do with it, well, that's the real story. Quick heads up: this episode was recorded on March 6, 2026. So while the headlines may have shifted, the ideas and the stakes haven't. And with that, let's talk politics. Lizette, thanks so much for joining us for this really important conversation.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Thanks so much for having me.

Julia Pennella, Host 2:36

I'm really looking forward to it. So, you know, a lot's happening around the world, but what is your political hot take in this moment right now?

SPEAKER_00 2:44

I would say that there are many forces trying to convince us that our lives will be better when we're divided. And I would offer that that is almost never the case and that we always do better when we work together.

Julia Pennella, Host 2:59

I love that. And when it comes to points about community and working together, like what does that mean to you? What does that vision look like for you?

SPEAKER_00 3:08

I think a lot of collaboration, right? I think when it relates to community organizing, I see it happen all the time. I'm really lucky in the file that I have and that I see a lot of organizations that collaborate with each other. There's a lot of intercultural exchange, that they are constantly having conversations with all orders of government and to ensure that their needs are getting met, but also just uh that they're always part of that conversation, that their input goes into decisions that are made. I think that's so important. And then from the political standpoint, it is having that constant ear to the ground and uh working with the people that you represent.

Lizette Tejada’s Path Into Politics

Julia Pennella, Host 3:49

Yeah, very well said. And as we're talking about representation, what was your journey like coming into office? What inspired you to run? Was there a specific moment, person, or policy that really shifted you from caring about politics and into officially stepping into that role?

SPEAKER_00 4:05

I always grew up with an awareness of uh social issues and political issues. My parents being from El Salvador, in the 80s were growing up here in Canada and very aware of the Civil War back home for them and how it impacted our family. And then just having that awareness, I think led to just realizing how policy impacts your life day to day, no matter where you are in the world. And I think one of the moments for me, even though I was active and talking about politics with people, was uh having my sister, who at the time was uh a public health nurse, working with families, a lot of immigrant families, and policies that were made at that time around immigration that would impact their coverage. And so it's interesting to think that we're back there. We're back at that moment. And what she saw and shared with me in quite a bit of distress at the time was the impacts that I could have on a family, like if you're not getting maternal care. What happens to someone if they're not getting the care that they need and how that impacts our communities? And I think that was a defining moment for me. And that's when I started volunteering. And my path is long and winding. I've been in other industries. I worked in the apparel industry in product development and quality assurance. And so my background is design. But I think no matter what you're doing, no matter who you are in the world, policy impacts you. And uh, those are the moments that really were the uh switch that made me get more active.

Identity, Systems, And Being The Translator

Julia Pennella, Host 5:42

Yeah, and thank you for sharing that. Because I think a main conversation point I have, especially with a lot of women in politics, is they never saw that necessarily as a career option or oftentimes think, you know, I'm not qualified or what experience do I have? And I think women have the biggest tool belt of solving crises, navigating with limited resources and being able to bring this perspective. So it's really cool to hear how you've had a lot of advocacy and community development. Your family origins are from El Salvador. So growing up and navigating Canada through the lens of your Latina identity, how has that lived experience maybe shaped the way you understand political systems? And even more specifically, how does that influence the way you approach your work today as the shadow minister for immigration and multiculturalism?

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Oh, that's a good question. I think when you grow up with one foot in each culture, one of the key things about that is that you understand that your way of living life, your way of eating food, your way of speaking, your language, your customs won't look like someone else's. And so I think that is key to just being in Canada, understanding that we all have different ways of looking at things, different perspectives, but that we can all contribute. Um, in terms of political systems, I think just learning from family, all of the work that my parents had to do to be able to bring over relatives to safety. You learn really quick how systems work and how they can be really complex for people and it can be really hard to navigate. So that actually spurred a lot of learning for me from a young age about uh how systems work, how to navigate, how to get the help that you need, and also being the translator. And I know a lot of uh kids of immigrants can relate to this, being the designated translator, right? And I translated everything from going to lawyers' offices to doctors' offices for my parents and uh for other relatives. So that's the perspective that is always with me in the role that I have.

Julia Pennella, Host 8:00

And I I can imagine it's it's a shared and lived experience for many children of immigrants. And I want to point to, because I've heard you share this before, and I thought it was really empowering, especially tied to your file in multiculturalism. But you had mentioned that you grew up listening to political music at home. Could you share a little bit about what was that like hearing resistance or using your voice in such a uh accessible way, like music? You're just kind of steeped in it, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:31

And this idea that people can use the arts, that they can use creative means to express where they're at in the world. And uh, in that case, it was a lot of Chilean music. Because at the time that my parents came to Canada from El Salvador, there were also a lot of Chilean folks fleeing situations in their home countries. And so you would see communities come together and they would do joint parties. And I guess just seeing how all of that creative work, the the music, could tell the story of what people were going through, but also offer hope for how they could work to change the situation, to change uh their political reality.

Citizenship Markers On Government IDs

Julia Pennella, Host 9:18

Very well said. And and thank you for sharing that story. And it goes back to, I think, our first point about the importance of community and coming together and supporting your neighbors, um, no matter who they are. But, you know, unfortunately, the reality is across the world is we are seeing a lot of ta attacks and negative comments and uh rhetoric towards immigrant populations. And I want to point to specifically the uh province of Alberta plans to add citizenship markers to government IDs uh later this year. And in practice, that means some residents will visibly carry a marker confirming citizenship while others won't. The government in power currently argues that this will streamline services and verify voting eligibility, but you know, others are worried that this is gonna stigmatize non-citizens who still live, work, and contribute to the province. As someone who is responsible for immigration and multiculturalism through a critic lens and opposition lens, how do you think policies like this actually shape how newcomers are gonna be experiencing Alberta?

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Well, and I think one of the first points that I think about, I see the premier in my head delivering the message that this will somehow uh improve delivery of services or that it will streamline delivery of services. We are at a place where our healthcare system is in crisis, our education system is in crisis, and I fail to see how putting a citizenship marker on someone's ID card will help streamline services or improve what is a crisis. What would have improved delivery of services is investing in public services. And uh the other point of this in terms of how it impacts folks, be they like newcomers or or not, people who are legally resident in Alberta, who should have access to certain services, is that it also makes them vulnerable to discrimination. And although I know I've heard people on the government side of the aisle say that discrimination doesn't exist was one of the comments that I'd heard from one of the ministers. And and I really think they can't speak to that uh without lived experience. I think any racialized person, or or someone even with an accent, knows that those things can impact the way that you're treated in your day-to-day life. Now, having a citizenship marker on an ID is a way that basically presents opportunities for discrimination. And I don't think that it actually strengthens delivery of services. This is something that should have been done through proper investment for growth.

Julia Pennella, Host 12:04

I don't see how this logically can support that, aside from the vision that first comes in my mind is you get pulled over and you do or do not have a citizenship marker. That's going to change the interaction that you have with that police officer if you're speeding or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

It could. And I don't want to cast aspersions on anyone either, right? Like it could or it couldn't. And it could happen at that level when you're dealing with different governmental systems. When I think about having my citizenship marker on, say, my ID and I'm ordering Uber. They take a picture of your ID. Why does anyone need to know what my citizenship status is, what my healthcare status is? There's privacy concerns around that as well. So yeah, I don't think it actually improves delivery of services and in fact puts people, I think, at risk for more discrimination.

Julia Pennella, Host 12:53

And is that the angle that you're presenting to oppose this? What are the conversations in committee and legislative assembly around this issue? And the and again, those criticisms, not only from the public, but from your party itself.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

We've talked about how it's added cost, added red tape. We're talking about the government that wants to reduce red tape. This is not a production in red tape. It costs money, it's a waste of money. The way they can improve delivery of services is by investing in them.

Julia Pennella, Host 13:22

And as we're talking about investing in services, affordability is a huge, huge issue across Canada. And Albertans are also feeling the hit. So, what would you say is the single biggest driver of the affordability crisis in Alberta right now? And what would an Alberta NDP government do differently immediately? And, you know, I think this is a really timely question because we are seeing different oil companies that are driving up profits, but the workers themselves are really struggling, and this wealth inequality is just continuing to grow.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

We've already proposed a lot of solutions around affordability. So we had a bill uh earlier this year around protecting wages, and that was around raising the minimum wage that hasn't increased since 2018. We are now last in terms of minimum wage. So when we think about inflation has gone up since 2018 about 20%, and our wages haven't budged. We know that we're lagging in wage growth. We know that there hasn't been a substantial investment in housing. We know that there hasn't been a substantial investment in healthcare or in education. So those are ways in which we serve the community in terms of help with affordability. One way to not worsen the situation for folks is to say not allow the increases that the UCP has allowed to balloon under their government. So they passed legislation which allowed them to increase insurance costs up to 15%. And that was for good drivers. We also proposed uh a rent increase cap, and that would have helped with affordability on housing because people's rents were going up. We're we were sort of like the outlier in terms of having protections for renters. So we've already made a lot of those proposals, and I think as we get closer to election time, there will be more to say on that. But that's definitely a priority for us is to make life more affordable for Albertans. It's almost hard to keep when I think about all the many ways in which the UCP government has cost Albertans more. So just in the last week, we heard announcements about eligibility requirements being uh tightened for seniors. So now people who are already low income will be facing rollbacks or uh losing affordability benefits. Uh, Ace, I've had several conversations on that. And I think really that is one way. And that is not making life more expensive for Albertans, which the UCP has done.

Julia Pennella, Host 15:54

And more specifically, so you mentioned the bill and some proposals that are put forward. What is it like more granularly, if you can get into is it taxing certain income brackets to be able to pay for these services to be extended to different Albertans? Is it cutting public service? Is there any or tax credits, if there's any tangible solutions or ideas that thinking of putting forward through an opposition lens?

SPEAKER_00 16:20

That's an ongoing conversation, as I said. So as we get closer to collecting all of our pieces for a platform, I think that will clarify what the offer is. But I would say the the first piece is to not increase costs for folks. Taking the caps off of utility rates. And I know that people have come to me, and those are the the pain points are housing costs, utility costs. So both of those things, uh, the UCP has not done anything concrete to help. And where we've offered, it was rejected, unfortunately, right? Uh, and insurance costs as well. So that's the first piece, is not costing Albertans more money.

Julia Pennella, Host 17:06

And how do you stay grounded being in opposition where you're able to put forward these ideas? As you mentioned, some of the examples where the government wasn't in support, it was voted down. So, how do you stay grounded in continuing to put forward ideas and make sure that, you know, there is a way or if there is room for collaboration with the government to actually get things done?

SPEAKER_00 17:28

Well, when we present these proposals, it's always with an eye to collaboration. And so I know that many of my colleagues have proposed um brilliant bills and have reached out uh to the other side of the aisle in the spirit of cooperation, in hopes that there would be some collaboration. And I think sometimes what people don't see is that collaboration. We don't vote no on everything on our side of the house either, right? But that's not usually what's going to make the headlines.

Julia Pennella, Host 18:01

So I do want to talk about the separatist um rhetoric and movement around what's happening in Alberta. So that separatist rhetoric, especially online, seems to be getting louder. From your perspective, is this a serious political movement or a warning sign that too many Albertans are feeling unheard right now from their elected officials?

How To Talk With Separatist Voters

SPEAKER_00 18:21

Uh, I think this is always something that we have to take very seriously. I am old enough to remember the 1995 referendum with Quebec. And actually, I was in Toronto as a student, and I remember very, very well just how close we came. And so I would offer that you always start conversations with empathy, you speak and converse to understand. And we know that a lot of Albertans are hurting right now, a lot of Albertans don't feel heard, and it's important and incumbent on us to have conversations and take all of those conversations very seriously. I do think that when we're talking about the idea of separation, and when I see a government that is really fanning the flames of that separatist sentiment, fanning the flames of anger, they are fanning the flames of grievance politics. When people talk about rightly challenging all orders of government on what we would like to see improve, how we can always demand better representation and talk about and advocate for our interests as a province. I think those are important conversations, but I think we also need to think about what the benefits are of confederation to us. And as an almost 51-year-old woman, I can look back at the last 50 years and think about all of the benefits of confederation. I was able to study in one province and come back home and bring my skills back home to Alberta to work. These were conversations that we heard about when they were talking about having an Alberta pension plan instead of staying in the Canada pension plan. The questions are always around the practicality of mobility. We have a lot of benefits here. And we also are able to work a lot better within confederation to advocate for our interests, I think, than we would as a separate state. If people are advocating for things like pipelines, I don't know how they feel like they would do a good job advocating as a separate state than you are within confederation. And it's really just coming to the table with that. Knowing that we have to collaborate, that that's the nature of being Canadian, of living in Canada, of doing the work. So those are my thoughts on separation. We work a lot better as part of a whole.

Julia Pennella, Host 20:48

And on that note, what's your message to voters who are maybe flirting with the idea of separatism? And how are you holding space for their concerns, but also standing firm in your belief to stay united and invested in Canada?

SPEAKER_00 21:01

I have had those conversations at the doors. And uh one of the things that I offer is really just listening. So, what is the need or the feeling that is behind this, in some cases, urgency? To be quite honest with you, I hear less people wanting to separate. I hear a lot more people who are worried about what happens if this uh becomes our reality. But I think just listening with empathy, with compassion, a lot of times, if you really drill down into the issues that are impacting people, it is affordability. It is uh access to opportunity and wanting to chart a future for your family so that everyone's doing well. And I think when we're having those conversations and we're talking about what are your pain points, it's usually around affordability and the economy. And how do I make sure that my family, my community is okay, and I think just really appropriate.

Julia Pennella, Host 22:07

I think the UCP frames itself as the only party willing to stand up to Ottawa. So I'm curious, how does your party, the Alberta NDP, maybe push back against federal policy without feeding separatist narratives? And you pointed out some really critical points about affordability being one of the key drivers of people's frustration not being heard. We're seeing the federal government try to push for more of an economic nation-building agenda and mandate. So I'm just curious how that balance is of pushing back and standing up for what Albertans want, but also seeing if there is any potential and growth for what the federal government is putting forward.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

And I think it really just comes down to collaboration advocacy. We are part of confederation. And when we're talking about a fight against Ottawa, which is the capital of our nation, we are within the nation of Canada. There are things that we can do to advocate. There are things that we can do to collaborate. And I think that when you approach it from the stance of fighting, you're fighting just Ottawa instead of defending our economic future. The UCP, with the stances that it's taking, fanning the flames of separatism, really it puts our economy at risk. So everyone's affordability becomes a bigger concern if we pander to the separatist ideals, which haven't been thought out. Any investment that could happen in Alberta is on hold if we don't know who we are, if we don't know what nation we are. So I I think that if we think about it from the standpoint of defending our economy, standing up and advocating for our economy, advocating for our industries. And we think about energy, we think about all forms of energy within Alberta and really just making sure that we're advocating for a better economic future.

Building A Healthier Political Culture

Julia Pennella, Host 24:08

One word that you were bringing up is uncertainty. And this is a piece that I've been speaking with a lot of economists about is uncertainty really damages economic growth and potential because people are afraid to throw their money to whether it is an industry and then as a result, maybe planning to hire more people and whatnot. It is frustrating to see that this uncertainty is curbing the Albert economy because people don't know what's going to happen. There's a lot of holding breath. And to your point of the politicians flaming the fire and flaming that rhetoric, but seeing this expand online and as someone from Toronto seeing it, like I have anxiety. I can't imagine actually being from the province and scrolling and seeing this rhetoric, even though that my algorithm is very different. It still sneaks into my algorithm here in Toronto. So I appreciate that insight. And again, talking about that economic lens and getting to the root of why are people upset and coming at it from an empathetic lens and opening up that conversation. Because that's why I started this podcast. We need to have dialogue with each other because when we don't have dialogue, even if we disagree, that's how democracy slowly erodes. We need to encourage people and hear these different sides. So I appreciate you bringing that perspective. And as one of my last questions here, looking ahead, what kind of political culture are you trying to help build in Alberta? What would need to change for more community leaders to see politics as a space that they can belong in?

SPEAKER_00 25:32

Well, I think getting involved and that can start through dialogue and with Alberta's NDP and with Nahed Nanshi as leader. Yeah, just even last summer, while the Alberta Next panels were in full bloom, we were holding our own town halls where we were actually consulting with people to find out what their concerns are, what they see as the future for Alberta. So involving people in that conversation is our responsibility as public servants. But then I would say answering the call and keeping in touch with your MLA, with your MP, with your counselor, with your school board trustee, and entering in those conversations and learning more about the process and knowing that your voice matters and that when you're actively uh seeking to understand and seeking to have those conversations, that um your voice carries a lot of weight. And I know that that's something that is um critically important to me. Whenever I'm in the legislature, I'm carrying the voices of the people that I represent with me and participating in those conversations. And it can be with your political representative, it can be within community organizations, it can be within advocacy organizations or even activism. We see a lot of folks putting their volunteer efforts into that. And it can be with just conversations that you're having with your neighbors to better understand where they're coming from.

Hope, Young Voices, And Closing

Julia Pennella, Host 27:01

Yeah, absolutely. And I appreciate that because I think we underestimate knowledge's power. And it can start as simple as a dinner table conversation or a group chat and sharing information is so critical, especially in this age of misinformation. But let's sit and talk about it. So I really appreciate that perspective, Lizette. And I know we covered a lot. So I want to thank you so much for sharing a little bit of what's happening in Alberta, what you're doing, what your party is also putting forward. So I want to thank you for your insights of your leadership and your public service to your community. Um, but I want to throw it to you. Is there anything else you want to share with the listeners?

SPEAKER_00 27:36

I've been talking to a lot of young people of late. And I I want to offer a bit of hope. Because I think sometimes when you're hearing all of these different news stories, when you're getting the feeling that things are so polarized, in the conversations I've had with young people and because of some work that I'm doing on a bill, I'm having a lot more conversations with young people around interest-free tuition. But in those conversations, we start talking about affordability. We start talking about how hopeful they feel about their future in Alberta. And I grew up in difficult circumstances with a mom who was low income, who didn't speak English uh very well. We struggled, we lived in poverty. And somehow, through several miracles and lots of hard work, I came to be in this position and to be a public servant. And when I look often at young people, I think sometimes you can see this far in front of you. And you're planning university, you're planning all of these things, and it can feel really difficult and it's difficult to navigate sometimes. But their voices matter. Your voices matter. This is your future. So the more you learn, the more you engage at all levels in volunteerism in your community and with your political representatives. Just know that your voice matters.

Julia Pennella, Host 29:02

That was a great way to end it. Thank you so much, Lazette. I really appreciate your time and your wonderful insights.