Danielle Smith promises Alberta separation referendum if signatures warrant
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she would hold a referendum on provincial separation next year if citizens gather the required signatures on a petition.
Smith, in a livestream address, says she wants a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada but the voices of those unhappy with Confederation are not fringe extremists and must be listened to.“The vast majority of these individuals are not fringe voices to be marginalized or vilified. They are loyal Albertans. They are, quite literally, our friends and neighbors who’ve just had enough of having their livelihoods and prosperity attacked by a hostile federal government,” Smith said.“They’re frustrated, and they have every reason to be.”
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The speech comes a week after Smith’s United Conservative government introduced legislation that, if passed, will sharply reduce the bar petitioners need to meet to trigger a provincial referendum. Story continues below advertisement
The bill, if passed, would change citizen-initiated referendum rules to require a petition signed by 10 per cent of the eligible voters in a previous general election — down from 20 per cent of registered voters.
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Applicants would also get 120 days, rather than 90, to collect the required 177,000 signatures.
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Alberta separatism: Smith wants provincial sovereignty ‘within a United Canada’
“To be clear from the outset, our government will not be putting a vote on separation from Canada on the referendum ballot,” Smith said on Monday.“However, if there is a successful citizen-led referendum petition that is able to gather the requisite number of signatures requesting such a question to be put on a referendum, our government will respect the democratic process and include that question on the 2026 provincial referendum ballot, as well.”First Nations leaders spoke out last week, saying Alberta doesn’t have the authority to interfere with or negate treaties, which some say separation would violate.
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Smith said she is committed to protecting, upholding and honoring treaties.“Therefore, any citizen-initiated referendum question must not violate the constitutional rights of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and must uphold and honour treaties 6, 7, and 8 should any referendum question ever pass.“This is non-negotiable.”
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Smith said Alberta has no choice but to take steps to combat a decade of hostile federal Liberal policies and laws she says have not only taken an unfair share of Alberta’s wealth but in doing so have also undermined the oil and gas industry that drives its economy.She says in the meantime she will negotiate an end to some of these federal policies while also hosting a series of town halls to hear ideas and grievances from Albertans, and says some of those ideas may also find their way into referendum questions. Story continues below advertisement
The premier didn’t speak to the media after the speech, but is scheduled to hold a news conference with reporters Tuesday.— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News
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