Alberta gov’t opens the door for ballot question on separation

Smith introduced the Election Statutes Amendment Act, which permits 208,000 voters to put the question of Alberta independence on the ballot.

Alex Dhaliwal
  |   April 30, 2025   |   News   |   3 Comments

 

Though Premier Danielle Smith does not endorse separation, a newly tabled bill makes citizen-initiated referendum on leaving Canada feasible.

“Is the door still open to Alberta separating?” a reporter asked yesterday. “I believe in Alberta's sovereignty within a united Canada,” she said.

“However,” the premier clarified, “there is a citizen-initiated referendum process that if citizens want to put a question on a ballot and get enough of their fellow citizens to sign that petition, then those questions will be put forward again.”

Smith said she did not wish to presuppose what a question might be, but clarified her government would not table a motion on separation. “Not by our government.”

The Alberta government introduced the Election Statutes Amendment Act, Tuesday afternoon, containing a significant reform to establish a feasible process for a citizen-initiated referendum on Alberta separation.

The bill slashes the threshold under the Citizen Initiative Act—a law that allowed referendums on policy and constitutional matters, but until now, came with a signature requirement so high it was dead on arrival.

Before? You needed signatures from 20% of all eligible voters in Alberta—more than 600,000 people in 90 days. 

Now? The bar has been lowered to 10% of the number of voters who cast ballots in the last general election—just over 208,000 names.

Though disappointed with the election result, Smith expressed a willingness to negotiate with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who fell short of a majority government by three seats.

“Albertans are proud Canadians that want this nation to be strong, prosperous, and united,” she said, “but we will no longer tolerate having our industries threatened and our resources landlocked by Ottawa.”

Smith expressed her hope that Carney would prioritize national unity, though concerns remain following a botched visit last month. The Premier was combative last March 20 after challenging Carney on his green zealotry.

She urged the Prime Minister to rescind the Impact Assessment Act and the oil and gas production cap, but Carney defended both policies and refused.

Meanwhile, separatist sentiment is on the rise, with 30% of Albertans wanting to leave the federation, according to a new Angus Reid poll. 

Premier Smith has fallen short of endorsing separation of late. “Well, I want Canada to work,” she said April 7. “I want Canada to be able to meet its potential.”

At the time, Smith was commenting on Preston Manning’s column, warning the rest of Canada that another Liberal win is a vote for Western secession.

Smith earlier posed a list of several demands to appease Alberta, including the revocation of certain climate policies and implementing a national energy corridor.

“I really hope that we can get Canada on ‘Team Alberta’ because ‘Team Alberta’ has always been on Team Canada.”

However, the premier threatened to consult voters on the province’s next steps if her demands weren’t met.

“In the weeks and months ahead, Albertans will have an opportunity to discuss our province’s future, assess various options for strengthening and protecting our province against future hostile acts from Ottawa, and to ultimately choose a path forward,” she said Tuesday.

“How optimistic are you [about] a new relationship between Alberta and Ottawa?” a reporter asked Smith yesterday. “Well, [that] very much depends,” she replied.

“I mean, we had a cabinet that … was exactly the same as the cabinet that subjected Alberta to 10 years of economic devastation. So whether or not he, as a leader, is going to be able to change course remains to be seen.”

“He's given some undertakings,” she admitted, but notes “he [has] said different things … to different people in different parts of the country, so I don't know the answer yet.”

Smith made “very clear” the need for Ottawa to reset its relationship with Alberta, as the status quo is untenable. 

“I think what we put on the table is very reasonable and very much in sync with the idea of being an energy superpower and finding new markets, and I guess the ball will be in his court to see how he responds to that.”

Smith, though not a separatist, has tabled two sovereignty act motions as premier, one to counter the federal transition to net-zero electricity by 2035, and another to oppose the oil and gas production cap.

Alberta's latest sovereignty act motion proposed an immediate constitutional challenge if the cap becomes law. 

A court challenge to a federal bill can only occur after it passes Parliament. The legality of Alberta's sovereignty act has not yet been court-tested.

“The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act was designed to protect our province from unconstitutional interference. And now we're going to use it again,” Premier Smith told reporters last November 26.

“We're telling Ottawa to throw out this ill conceived activist fantasy and get behind Alberta's leadership by investing in real technology that cuts emissions without wrecking Canada's prosperity” she added.

A subsequent law directed the province to explore regulatory changes to solidify its control over energy facilities, infrastructure, and greenhouse gas emissions data.

The motion also proposed stiffer penalties, including substantial fines and imprisonment, for violating the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act.

On December 1, 2023, the province tabled a motion on the accelerated transition to net-zero electricity. Its impact on this policy, excluding private entities, is yet to be determined, with legal disputes often taking years to resolve. 

“We would much rather cooperate with them for the sake of a cleaner environment and stronger, more prosperous nation,” the premier said. “We could have both if they would just listen to reason and they've chosen their path.”

“We've chosen ours,” she clarified, “and the fight will continue for as long as it has to.”

Please sign the petition to demand Ottawa leave Alberta alone!

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Goal: 25,000 signatures
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We, the undersigned, stand with Alberta against federal overreach that threatens to cripple our economy and jeopardize the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians. Alberta has endured enough. The province contributes billions in equalization payments, supports jobs and industries across the country, and has been forced into economic sacrifices for decades. We demand an end to policies that punish Alberta for its resource wealth. Sign this petition to show your support for Alberta’s right to defend its economy, its jobs, and its future.

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Alex Dhaliwal

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Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

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  • Robert Cameron
    commented 2025-05-01 00:23:24 -0400
    I started the Referendum, Recall and Local Plebiscite movement and push for expansion of the Referendum laws in Ontario. That law says a Referendum push starts with the citizens but ends up only at the Legislature. I think the AB legislation proposal and motion is better and will lead to the will of the people being respected. We should be able to vote for this online.
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-04-30 20:38:39 -0400
    I received a call from a certain separatist organization last night. There are people who don’t want to wait.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-04-30 19:21:22 -0400
    If only other premieres, especially Doug Ford, were as sane as Danielle Smith. They need to realize that Mark Carney is a globalist shill who will sell out our nation to the global Borg. Free people deserve somebody like Pierre Poilievre, not Doug Ford and especially like Mark Carney.