Hon. Karen Sorensen: Honourable senators, before I begin, I too want to offer my condolences to all those impacted by the tragedy at CFB Wainwright. My heart is with the victims, their families and all members of our Armed Forces.

Today, as a proud Albertan and a proud Canadian, I was ecstatic to see the vast majority of Albertans vote in support of a united Canada.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.

Senator Sorensen: As a senator, I’ve had the privilege of travelling across the province, meeting with our farmers and energy workers, our artists and business people, our social workers and health care practitioners, young people and civic leaders. I’ve been awed by the immigrants who choose to make Alberta their home and quickly become local pillars, as well as the Indigenous leaders across Alberta who work every day to build bridges, and the young Albertans whose sense of duty and love for Canada inspires them to join our Armed Forces.

I have seen first-hand the industriousness, creativity and generosity of Albertans, and I know very well how much Alberta contributes to Canada.

I have also watched Canada come through for Alberta through fires, floods and other challenges. I know that when it comes down to it, Canada values Alberta, and Albertans believe in Canada.

This was exemplified by Albertans from all walks of life who spent the past months organizing, educating and getting out the vote: politicians and activists from across the political spectrum, lawyers, journalists, community and religious leaders and everyday citizens, all dedicated to protecting our time-tested institutions and shared future; Indigenous Peoples standing up for their treaty rights within a united Canada; and immigrant groups mobilizing their communities and getting new Canadians involved in the democratic process.

I am grateful that Albertans were not complacent in this pivotal moment and that we made our voices heard clearly and definitively. I want to take a moment to address the support for various measures targeting immigration, including restricting access to social services. In my community of the Bow Valley, these proposals were soundly rejected. Our residents know that immigration is essential to our local tourism industry, and our communities have a long track record of welcoming newcomers from around the world.

Alberta, too, has a long history of doing so. It is often said that you become an Albertan the moment you set foot in the province. At a practical level, immigration is essential for filling labour gaps in our agriculture and food production, health care, energy and tourism sectors.

We must not take these results as an excuse to scapegoat immigrants. Rather, we should redouble our efforts to fix gaps in our system, speed up application processing, bring in the workers we need to address labour shortages and support newcomers and their families as they integrate into Canadian communities.

Living in a municipality in Alberta within a national park, I’ve been privy to the complicated but often fruitful relationship between Albertan communities and the federal government. Co‑existing alongside a vibrant mix of locals, tourists, Indigenous people, new Canadians, seasonal workers from around the world and families who have lived in Banff for generations, I’ve come to appreciate the diverse fabric of my town, our country and, yes, our province.

Alberta has a distinct identity and a rich history, but we are not an island unto ourselves. We wouldn’t be nearly as great if we were.

Now that Albertans have made their wishes known, it is time to move forward and work together as a nation to create a better future for all Canadians, in every region of the country, safeguarding our sovereignty, growing our economy and helping all our communities flourish.

Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.