By: Chris Zwick, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Town & Country News
The scheduled Alberta referendum on Oct. 19 will officially include a question on Alberta’s future place in Canada.
Premier Danielle Smith made the announcement in a televised public address May 21.
“I will be requesting our government add an additional question to the October 19 referendum vote announced previously. The additional question will be ‘Should Alberta remain a province of Canada or 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?’”
The announcement followed a Court of King’s Bench decision on May 13 that quashed the Stay Free Alberta petition in favour of separation, citing a lack of consultation with First Nations.
Organizers filed an appeal and requested a stay of proceedings to allow the verification of the 301,602 signatures on the petition to continue.
“Because this proposed referendum question does not directly trigger separation, but if successful would ask Alberta’s government to commence the legal process necessary to hold a binding referendum on the matter, the recent court ruling would not be applicable, and the referendum question I outlined, could proceed,” said Smith, adding that between the Stay Free Alberta petition and the Forever Canada petition “approximately 700,000 Albertans have signed petitions requesting a vote on this issue.”
“And I, as premier, will not have a legal mistake by a single judge silence the voices of hundreds of thousands of Albertans. That’s not the Alberta way. Alberta’s future will be decided by Albertans, not the courts,” she said.
Sheldon Rowe was one of dozens of local organizers of the Forever Canada petition, which ultimately collected 404,293 verified signatures across the province, in favour of remaining in Canada. He said he was disappointed to hear Smith’s announcement and found her speech misleading, saying it was more about her “political survival.”
“In my opinion, this has nothing to do with representing the wishes and the wills of the people who signed the petition, because had it been that way, the MLAs would have voted on it,” he said.
“I’m disappointed that she’s hanging Forever Canada on her reasons why.”
He pointed out that when the citizen initiative was submitted to Elections Alberta, organizers had the option to choose whether their question should go to MLAs in the legislature for a vote, or to a citizen referendum. They chose the legislative option hoping it would result in a debate among MLAs and a firm policy position, but the premier went the other route.
“I just want someone in leadership that I feel is truthful, and them standing up and saying that somehow this is what we asked for, is a misdirection,” said Rowe.
Ten questions
The October referendum was set by the province on March 31 and included nine original yes or no questions on the subjects of immigration, the cost of providing services to non-residents and voter identification. Further, four more asked constitutional questions about provincial rights, appointing judges, the federal Senate, and the ability to opt out of federal programs, were also included.
The tenth question about staying in Canada will not be a yes or no question but rather a multiple choice one, providing two options between remaining a Canadian province or initiating a legal process for a binding separation referendum.
Each question will be presented on a separate ballot and will be counted by hand, and requires a simple majority of 50 per cent of the vote, plus one, to be successful.
The Alberta government has set up a website directly related to the exact questions being asked at albertareferendum2026.ca.
Premier Smith said the government would respect the results of the vote on all the referendum questions and stated her own position on the separation question.
“It’s time to have a vote, understand the will of Albertans on this subject, and move on.
Now, obviously, Alberta’s first ever provincial vote on our province’s future in Canada is of monumental importance. As such, I feel it is important to clearly state my personal position so Albertans know where I stand,” she said.
“I have repeatedly stated that the position of the UCP caucus, and UCP government, is to build a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada. I have never deviated from that position and I will not do so now. I will therefore be voting for Alberta to remain in Canada, while continuing to work each and every day to restore and strengthen provincial rights under the Canadian constitution.”
