{"id":178115,"date":"2026-08-22T07:04:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T07:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/178115\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T07:04:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T07:04:07","slug":"smith-says-alberta-could-have-a-binding-referendum-on-secession-in-early-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/178115\/","title":{"rendered":"Smith says Alberta could have a binding referendum on secession in early 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks during a news conference in Calgary on May 22.Jeff McIntosh\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n

Alberta will hold a binding referendum on secession early next year if the results of October\u2019s provincewide vote favour launching the process to separate from the rest of Canada, Premier Danielle Smith<\/a> asserted during town halls this summer.<\/p>\n

The Premier\u2019s timeline allocates about 2.5 months for consultations with Indigenous people, a window she said aligns with what Canada pencilled in for discussions over a proposed bitumen pipeline to the west coast.<\/p>\n

Ms. Smith outlined plans for a binding spring referendum on secession in response to questions from United Conservative Party members frustrated that the government\u2019s non-binding Oct. 19 question kicks the separation can down the road rather than settles the debate. <\/p>\n

Ms. Smith, speaking to UCP members in Lethbridge in August and in Red Deer in July, said if the separatist side wins the October referendum, she will tour First Nations communities in order to meet the legal requirement that they be consulted prior to a binding secession vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am willing to do the consultation, I am willing to take the months of abuse, going to every nation, holding town halls like this, and letting them know that we are going to go forward with it,\u201d she said in Red Deer, according to video of the event posted online. \u201cI am willing to do that if Albertans give me the mandate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Danielle Smith acknowledges foreign influence campaigns are targeting Alberta referendum<\/a><\/p>\n

Ms. Smith explained that she must consult with First Nations before seeking approval from the federal government to proceed with a binding question. In Red Deer and Lethbridge, she said the consultation process with First Nations would take about 2.5 months in order to withstand court challenges. This, she said in Lethbridge, mirrors Canada\u2019s Major Projects Office\u2019s consultation schedule for the proposed pipeline to the west coast.<\/p>\n

The MPO did not answer questions about Ms. Smith\u2019s characterization of its consultation timeline.<\/p>\n

Jauvonne Kitto, who works with First Nations groups as an advisor and negotiator, said Alberta\u2019s Premier is underestimating how long it will take to properly consult Indigenous people over the potential break-up of the country and how that would affect treaty rights. <\/p>\n

The Crown is obligated to provide First Nations with a reasonable amount of time for consultations, which is measured against the seriousness and complexity of the issue under negotiation, Ms. Kitto said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeparation is obviously the most serious and complex matter possible,\u201d she said. \u201cThe potential to undermine treaty rights attracts the highest level of scrutiny from the courts, and requires the highest level of consultation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing on Canadian precedents, including discussions preceding the patriation of the Constitution in 1982, Ms. Kitto said consultations on secession would likely take 1.5 to two years.<\/p>\n

Elections Alberta seeks help from other provinces to run fall referendum<\/a><\/p>\n

Ms. Smith, when speaking to UCP members and working under the assumption First Nations consultations would be completed quickly, said Alberta would ask the House of Commons to affirm its question in early 2027, clearing the way for a spring vote. In Red Deer, she said she would go to Ottawa in February or March, with the vote taking place in April or May. In Lethbridge, she accelerated this schedule by a month.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to settle it before the next election,\u201d Ms. Smith said in Lethbridge, according to audio posted online and verified by attendee Blaine Badiuk. Alberta\u2019s next general election is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 18, 2027.<\/p>\n

Ms. Smith says she will advocate for Alberta to remain in Canada and defends the referendum as an opportunity for voters to have their say. <\/p>\n

Some First Nations in Alberta are resisting the separatist campaign, turning to the courts \u2013 and the public \u2013 for support. The Assembly of Treaty Chiefs of Treaty No. 6, Treaty No. 7, and Treaty No. 8 have called on the RCMP to investigate Ms. Smith for treason, accusing her of risking Alberta\u2019s place in Confederation and violating treaties.<\/p>\n

Separately, Alberta Court of King\u2019s Bench Justice Shaina Leonard in May struck down a petition aimed at triggering a referendum on separation, in part because the province failed to consult with First Nations on how secession could affect treaty rights.<\/p>\n

Ms. Smith\u2019s government is appealing the decision. The Premier points to this decision to explain why the government put a non-binding separation question on the October ballot.<\/p>\n

Alberta formalizes separation question ahead of October referendum<\/a><\/p>\n

The question will ask voters to choose between Alberta staying in Canada; and Alberta starting \u201cthe legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam Blackett, a spokesman for the Premier, in a statement said the government \u201cwould begin the legal process under the Constitution to hold the binding referendum as soon as possible,\u201d should Albertans opt for the second choice in the fall referendum.<\/p>\n

He did not respond to specific questions about the consultation process with First Nations, including what Alberta considers adequate consultation, whether it sought legal advice on what constitutes adequate consultation, and with whom it would consult.<\/p>\n

Ms. Smith\u2019s office rejected the treason allegations from the Assembly of Treaty Chiefs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccusing elected officials of treason is dangerous and unacceptable rhetoric that only fuels division,\u201d Mr. Blackett said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to work collaboratively on a government-to-government basis to make our communities stronger. When the Treaty Chiefs are ready to do that, we\u2019ll look forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With reports from Matthew Scace<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks during a news conference in Calgary on May…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":178116,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[164,224,238,214,212,239,17,211,230,231,227,213,210,235,171,234,143,222,249,215,216,229,225,226,219,240,220,244,245,247,242,246,94,243,217,142,233,113,232,241,223,236,237,228,221,218,248],"class_list":["post-178115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-canada","tag-alberta","tag-arts-news","tag-bc","tag-breaking-news","tag-breaking-news-video","tag-british-columbia","tag-canada","tag-canada-news","tag-canada-sports","tag-canada-sports-news","tag-canada-trafficcanada-weather","tag-canadian-breaking-news","tag-canadian-news","tag-economy","tag-education","tag-environment","tag-federal-government","tag-foreign-news","tag-globe-and-mail","tag-globe-and-mail-breaking-news","tag-globe-and-mail-canada-news","tag-government","tag-life-news","tag-lifestyle","tag-local-news","tag-manitoba","tag-national-news","tag-new-brunswick","tag-newfoundland-and-labrador","tag-northwest-territories","tag-nova-scotia","tag-nunavut","tag-ontario","tag-pei","tag-photos","tag-political-news","tag-political-opinion","tag-politics","tag-politics-news","tag-quebec","tag-sports-news","tag-technology","tag-travel","tag-trudeau","tag-us-news","tag-world-news","tag-yukon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178115"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178115\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}