Alberta premier faces criticism over chemtrails discussion at UCP town hall

Alberta’s premier is being criticized for not shutting down a conspiracy theory during a recent United Conservative Party town hall in Edmonton.

According to a journalist in the room from “Alberta Views,” Premier Danielle Smith was answering a question about chemtrails.

Chemtrails refer to the conspiracy theory that governments or other groups are adding toxic chemicals to the atmosphere from planes. In reality, these white plumes are made mostly of water and are vapour trails.

Smith responded to the question by saying: “The best I have been able to do is talk to the woman who is responsible for controlling (Edmonton’s) airspace. She said no one is allowed to go up and spray anything in the air.

“The other person told me that if anyone is doing it, it’s the U.S. Department of Defense. I have some limitations in what I can do in my job. I don’t know if I would have much power if that is the case, that the U.S. is spraying us. I will do what I can to investigate,” Smith said.

She went on to say that she has found no evidence of chemtrails.

Timothy Caulfield is a University of Alberta professor at the School of Public Health said there is “absolutely” no evidence to support chemtrails.

“They are a conspiracy theory kind of on the level as flat Earth.”

Caulfield said he is concerned by the premier’s response.

“The premier is making room for and, I would argue, legitimizing a conspiracy theory,” he said. “She could have said, ”Look, I hear your concerns but the reality is that this is not true.'”

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In a statement, the premier’s office told Global News: “The premier has heard concerns from many Albertans about this topic. In response, the provincial government looked into the issue and found no evidence of chemtrails occurring in Alberta. The premier was simply sharing what she has heard from some folks over the summer on this issue. She was not saying that she believed the U.S. government was using chemtrails in Alberta.”

Global News reached out to the U.S. Department of Defense about Smith’s comments. When asked if they had any response to Smith’s comment, a Pentagon spokesperson responded in a statement “we do not.”

A NORAD and U.S. Northern Command spokesperson told Global News it is “not conducting any flight activities in Canada that involve the spraying of chemicals.”

Political analyst Lori Williams said Smith is treading carefully ahead of a leadership review where every vote counts.

“These kinds of discussions are being driven by folks in her base who are very active and organized and difficult to deal with,” she said. “Smith is doing what will placate the base and at the same time, not associating herself too closely with things unacceptable to moderate Albertans.”

Party members will vote at the leadership review in November.