Premier Danielle Smith says she’s open to holding a referendum on Alberta’s separation from Canada next year—but only if enough signatures are collected on a petition. In a livestream on Monday, Smith said she supports a sovereign Alberta within Canada, but acknowledged growing frustration among Albertans with the federal government.
New legislation could make it easier to trigger a vote, cutting the signature requirement in half and giving organizers more time. Smith says Liberal policies have hurt Alberta’s economy, and she’s setting up a new negotiation team and “Alberta Next” town halls to explore big changes.
She also said she respects Indigenous rights, but critics—including Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi—say Smith is fuelling division and should let Albertans vote sooner rather than later.
