Alberta’s Smith Rules Out 2nd Referendum on Separation During Her Tenure If First Vote Is to Remain

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province would not hold another referendum on separation as long as she remains premier if a majority of voters choose to remain part of Canada in the Oct. 19 referendum.

“Not as long as I’m premier,” Smith told CBC News on Oct. 9.

“That’s to me what option one means. It’s if you vote to remain in Canada, then you are rejecting option two, which is to start the legal process to hold a binding referendum.”

As for the other nine referendum questions, Smith said the province would “find out other things that Albertans are concerned about” if voters reject them.

Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum includes 10 questions, including on immigration controls, access to public services, voter citizenship requirements, judicial appointments, Senate abolition, federal funding, and provincial law supremacy. The final question asks whether Alberta should remain in Canada or begin the legal process for a future binding separation referendum.

Smith says she supports Canadian unity but wants Albertans to have the right to vote on the issue.

The current referendum follow a legal challenge to an earlier separation initiative. In May, Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench blocked a citizen-initiative separation petition organized by Stay Free Alberta, ruling against Elections Alberta’s approval of the petition and saying the province failed to adequately consult First Nations about the potential impacts of separation on their treaty rights.

Smith’s government appealed the decision but noted that, because the judicial process may take an extended time, it would include the separation question in the referendum to respect the citizen-led petition initiative. She said the question is non-binding and therefore would not violate the court ruling.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi has strongly opposed adding the question related to separation to the referendum, and called on Smith to remove the question.