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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 13h

Absolutely. And I honestly don’t think we’ve all talked about it enough.

Reposted by Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦

Independent Senators Group | Groupe des sénateurs indépendants @senindepend.bsky.social · 20h

ISG Senator @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social appeared on The Current to share her thoughts on Alberta's referendum: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

cbc.ca

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Reposted by Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦

Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 20h

Heads up! This is a thread - more like a library/compendium - of my columns, speeches & podcasts about Alberta's referendum questions. I thought it might be useful if I gathered it all in one place, organized by time and topic. #Alberta #notothenine #abpoli #cdnpoli

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 20h

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 16h

I guess I was also looking at it also from the other perspective - what might it cost Canada, and not just monetarily, to have to relocate those four bases, at a time when the country needs a strong defence? And what might is cost Alberta communities who rely on their bases?

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 16h

Just to be clear - I am in no way affiliated with the UCP government. And I have to say, I have read a tremendous amount of coverage of the referendum, and I don’t quite recall anyone making this argument in this way. But perhaps I’m not as original as I suppose! Thanks for reading, nonetheless.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

If you've come to the end of this thread...thank you! Please, if you are so inclined, re-post this so that more people can find the information they need, in a crowded media ecosystem, filled with disinformation, misinformation, and generalized mess!

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

Finally - my plea. If you think that boycotting the vote will "send a message" to the premier, please, please think again. If you haven't voted yet, please do - even if it seems pointless. Our very democracy hangs in the balance.

forwardweekly.ca

We Can’t Boycott Our Way Out of a Meaningless Referendum | By Paula Simons | Forward Weekly

Forward Weekly feature for September 20, 2026.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

To wind up this rather long and action-packed thread, I leave you with two essay. First, my brand new piece for @albertaviews.bsky.social on national security, national unity, and the real meaning of patriotism. albertaviews.ca/a-call-to-un...

albertaviews.ca

A Call to Unity - Alberta Views

Patriotism comes with a human cost. Those who push the separatist cause rarely acknowledge Alberta’s role in Canada’s national defence.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

I also took a moment last week to rise in the Senate to blast the toxic anti-immigrant questions, and to remind Albertans that immigration is in our enlightened self-interest, especially in rural Alberta. #SenateofCanada #immigration #Alberta @senatorloffreda.bsky.social #abpoli

youtu.be

Watch: Senator Paula Simons denounces Alberta's anti-immigrant referendum questions

YouTube video by Senator Paula Simons

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

My new-this-week Alberta Bound podcast features three remarkable women, leaders in Calgary's Asian-Canadian community, talking about the incredible challenges in educating and mobilizing their own Chinese, Vietnamese and Filipino communities to get to the polls. #yyc #Calgary #Alberta #notothenine

open.spotify.com

Final Countdown: GOTV!

Alberta Unbound · Episode

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

I was ALSO concerned about how hard the province made it to campaign against the Noxious Nine - or vote against them. That inspired 2 podcasts. First, here are @carterab.bsky.social @jaredwesley.ca and Avnish Nanda of @ouralbertadvantage.bsky.social on the challenges of fighting back. #notothenine

open.spotify.com

Saying No to the Nine

Alberta Unbound · Episode

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

As the referendum campaign went on, I grew concerned about the issue of foreign interference. So in May I invited security analyst @patricklennox.bsky.social to be my #AlbertaIUnbound podcast guest. It was a chilling and prescient interview - well worth a re-listen now. #foreigninterference

open.spotify.com

Security Alert: Patrick Lennox on Foreign Interference in Alberta politics

Alberta Unbound · Episode

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

Back in March, I also seized a moment to read the worst of the noxious nine questions into the Senate record, as part of our Senate debate on Bill C-12, the new federal immigration law. #Canada #cdnpoli #immigration #SenateofCanada #SenCa #notothenine @senatorsenior.bsky.social

sencanada.ca

Senator Paula Simons Topic Intervention 687085 - 24

Senators

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 19h

My thanks again to @melomas.bsky.social, @zainvelji.bsky.social @yasmeenabulaban.bsky.social Ken Boessenkool, and Patricia Paradis from @centreconststud.bsky.social for breaking down the 9 questions so clearly and bravely, way back in March, before most Albertans had grasped their full import.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 20h

Then come the Noxious Nine referendum questions - which attack an imaginary immigration "crisis" - Canada's constitution. First, back in March, I gathered 5 very smart academic and political experts to go through the questions, one by one, to explain their legal and practical meaning. #cdnpoli

open.spotify.com

Just Say No: 9 questions, 5 voices

Alberta Unbound · Episode

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 20h

I wrote that @albertaviews.bsky.social essay in late 2025, knowing in my bones a referendum was in the offing. Now here is a piece I wrote on a related theme this past June, for @forwardcanada.bsky.social - on my love for Alberta, and why we must remember our history, and our best selves. #yeg

forwardweekly.ca

The Alberta I Know, the Canada We Need | By Paula Simons | Forward Weekly

Forward Weekly feature for June 28, 2026.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

Near the end of this conversation, Teresa Woo-Paw was in tears, talking about how hard they had worked to inform immigrant voters and how they still don’t feel they did enough. So much love for our country. It threw the wickedness of this racist smear campaign into stark relief. Please do listen.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

My thanks to Teresa Woo-Paw, Julie Alati-it and Anne-Marie Pham of Asian Canadians for a United Canada for making time for this urgent conversation in a crazy-busy week. #yyc #Calgary #Alberta #notothenine

open.spotify.com

Final Countdown: GOTV!

Alberta Unbound · Episode

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Five of the nastiest referendum questions take rights away from immigrants. But helping immigrant citizens understand the convoluted questions - and helping them overcome their fear of voting - is tough. I talk to 3 fierce leaders of Calgary’s Asian community about how they’re getting it done!

podcasts.apple.com

Final Countdown: GOTV!

Podcast Episode · Alberta Unbound · October 15 · 39m

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Spent my morning on the @ualberta.bsky.social campus, speaking to political science students about the Senate, the referendum, and where we go next. Great questions, great discussion. Thanks, @angeliawagner.bsky.social for the invitation! #cdnpoli #ualberta #yeg #Edmonton #SenCa #Canada

Paula Simons, in a mauve suit, rainbow scarf and N95 mask stands flanked by a group of about four dozen multicultural university students, in the Tory Building with its shiny lino floor and a sandy brick walls.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Well. Exactly. Wood Buffalo, Jasper, Elk Island, Waterton.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Well, I suppose if Trump’s American annexed Alberta, NATO might be appeased!

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

For Wainwright and Cold Lake, the economic loss to their small communities would be even more dire.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Also, apologies for the tiny purple spots on the photos. Literally borscht splash. (The price of reading and cooking at the same time.)

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

The degree of delusion is truly remarkable sometimes.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

My latest column for @albertaviews.bsky.social explores some of those issues. The online link won’t be posted till Nov 1. But the hard copy magazine it out now - and I wanted to share the above photos now, before the vote closes. (Apologies for lack of alt text. I’ll post the link ASAP.) #cdnpoli

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Throughout the separatist debate, I’ve seen very little discussion about what would happen to Alberta’s 4 big military bases, were Alberta to quit Confederation. How would a sovereign Alberta defend itself. And how having to close/move CFB Edmonton or the Cold Lake airbase put Canada at risk?

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Yeah, I did wonder about left over convoy flags. The symbolism of the flag has shifted so much over the last little while!

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Reposted by Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦

Courtney Theriault @ctheriault.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

More than half of Alberta doctors say they would leave the province if Alberta separates from Canada: AMA survey www.albertadoctors.org/news/publica...

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

I love this! Thank you so much for reaching out and for helping me connect with new audiences. Social media these days is so atomized, it’s hard to get in front of the right eyes.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

But scroll thru my Bluesky feed, and you’ll find my previous op-eds, pods, speeches and rants about the referendum, and various other issues that might interest you.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Oh my friend - I have been on social media pretty actively for 20 years. Before Twitter went to the dark side, I had some 80k followers there. You can find me now on Bluesky, Mastodon, LinkedIn and YouTube, and I host my own podcast, Alberta Unbound. I’m glad you’ve finally found me! Welcome aboard!

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

I am puzzled by this comment. I have been extremely vocal and public in my opposition to the Noxious Nine and separation for months and months - op-eds, podcasts, speeches, teach-ins, interviews, rallies. I have been doing the work, and very publicly, all spring, summer and fall.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Tuesday evening, I appeared on CTV’s Alberta Prime Time, to talk about the referendum, separatism, and the ugly immigration questions. Here’s my conversation with host Michael Higgins. #ableg #abpoli #notothenine #cdnpoli #Alberta

youtu.be

Separatists will 'not be placated by anything': senator | Alberta Primetime

YouTube video by CTV News

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

The final panel: Avnish Nanda of @ouralbertadvantage.bsky.social, and Brad LaFortune of Public Interest Alberta on their own No to the Nine campaign. #yeg #nonetothenine

Avnish Nanda, Brad LaFortune, Shannon Phillips, Stephen Carter and Zain Velji, holding the mic.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Absolutely - and it’s not easy to tell the peach ballot from the pink ballot, or the white ballot from the off-white ballot!

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

They have to prepare 10 individual ballots for each person. It takes time for the staffer to tear, fold, and initial each one.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Now, we await the arrival of the podcast panel. It does delight me that we’re all back in the 1920s, in a theatre to watch live radio. #yeg #ualberta

Three empty chairs on a stage washed in red light.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

My neighbourhood is full of No to the Nine signs. Stephen Carter has led an extraordinary campaign, raising awareness of the Noxious Nine referendum questions and the dangers they pose for our province. Whatever happens, his work has been remarkable.

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

At the beautiful Myer Horowitz Theatre tonight to see @zainvelji.bsky.social, @sphillipsab.bsky.social and @carterab.bsky.social live on stage with @thestrategists.ca. (Last time they were in #yeg, they got me up on stage. This time, I’m just happy to be in the audience.) @haxim.ca #notothenine

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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Also? Each of the 45 million ballots must be counted by hand. Because even though we’re supposed trust AI to handle all kinds of extremely sensitive tasks, the Alberta government doesn’t trust computers to count binary yes/no ballots. The very thing as which computers excel.

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