Naheed Nenshi says Premier Smith 'owes' separatists in controversial anti-referendum ad

The Alberta NDP leader took aim at Danielle Smith in a new video calling on the premier to "get back to work" and "cancel the referendum."

On Wednesday's live stream, Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle reacted to Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi condemning Danielle Smith for engaging with supporters of the province's independence movement.

Nenshi took to social media to share a video outlining why he believes Premier Smith is beholden to leaders of Alberta's separatist movement. "Danielle Smith would not have been the premier without the support of separatists," he said.

"She owes them. The separatist leaders claim that she told them that they didn't have to get the signatures, that regardless of what the court said, regardless of what the Indigenous people say, she would give them their referendum," Nenshi continued.

Sheila condemned Nenshi's attempt to influence voters, criticizing the delivery of his message to the public. "His tone and affect is so off-putting, and I know I'm not for everyone so I understand, but when he closes his eyes like he's just so fed up with his job and all of us, it's so unappealing, and it's so gross from a man," she said.

Lise also chimed in, calling out Nenshi for essentially labelling hundreds of thousands of Alberta independence supporters' viewpoints as "garbage."

"He calls it 'separatist garbage.' Does that sort of imbue that Nenshi believes that people that want a different path away from Ottawa are garbage?" she asked.

Despite a recent court ruling blocking a citizen-led petition drive over failures to consult First Nations on treaty rights, the Alberta independence movement continues to exert significant pressure on Premier Smith, with organizers submitting over 300,000 signatures and her government appealing the decision ahead of the October 19 referendum.

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  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2026-05-20 19:57:25 -0400
    Nenshi is a delusional nut. Reprobate-minded folks like him can’t think properly. He never has been a nice person either. What a pompous ass!
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2026-05-20 17:32:10 -0400
    To borrow a term used to describe Muhammed Ali (back when he was still known as Cassius Clay), Nenshi is the mouth that roared.

    Unfortunately, he fails to remember that one should engage one’s brain before putting one’s mouth in gear.