Alberta Premier Danielle Smith supports a citizen-led process for referendums but personally favors Alberta's sovereignty within Canada, opposing federal overreach. 

Recent citizen-initiative legislation aims to lower the bar for citizen petitions, not solely for separation, but for various issues including recall. 

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.

While acknowledging some support for separation, Smith believes most Albertans aren't in favor currently. Only 30% want to leave the federation, according to a new Angus Reid poll.

Meanwhile, the province is preparing for the 2027 election with a citizen-initiative model like California's, which raises concerns about the difficult process of separation, particularly concerning First Nations treaties that Alberta is already handling despite federal authority.

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