Smith defends separation-related referendum decision

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]I would say this is the This is the ultimate policy debate, and that's what we're putting it forward as is a policy question.

[00:00:05]>> On October 19th, Albertans will be able to select option A, should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or option B, should the government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada. So, we need to get this the answer to this now because we do not want this lingering around for 1 or 2 or 3 or 5 years creating that level of uncertainty. People know on October 19th, there's a choice to be made. Smith says she wants Alberta to stay in Canada and will campaign for it. But, law professor Gerard Kennedy says if Albertans end up going against her, the resulting process will be complicated.

[00:00:46]The province would have to create a second, clear, and legally binding referendum question and make sure proper consultations with First Nations take place. It would also have to pass the federal government's scrutiny. The more negotiations that can take place with the federal government in advance to make it clear, the likelier it is to pass muster. With 10 questions now on the ballot, Elections Alberta says voters can weigh in on as many or as few questions as they want. It plans to hire between 60,000 to 90,000 election officers to administer and count the upwards of 38 million ballots. Each of the 10 questions will have a separate ballot, and all of them need to be counted by hand within 48 hours. As for the threshold of voter turnout she's looking for, the premier says she'll accept a majority. Most votes aren't decided that way. 50% plus one, that's what a majority looks like, yes.

[00:01:38]The law professor I spoke with says the UCP's appeal of the Stay Free Alberta pro-separation question could take years. He says if the question goes all the way to the Supreme Court, Albertans could be waiting for a verdict until 2029.