Premier Danielle Smith is moving forward with the Oct. 19 referendum on Alberta separatism, despite uncertainty over the exact number of signatures gathered by the Stay Free Alberta petition. Smith stated on her Saturday radio show that the reported 300,000 signatures cannot be validated due to a court order blocking Elections Alberta from counting them.
Referendum in the Spirit of the Law
Smith emphasized that she is acting in the spirit of the Elections Act passed by the United Conservative Party (UCP) government. She explained that while the court stopped verification, the petition likely exceeded the required 177,000 signatures. Another petition, Forever Canada, was validated at 400,000 signatures. Smith argued that following the citizen petition law necessitates the referendum, and she does not want to be a gatekeeper. She is challenging a King's Court bench decision to quash the referendum, asserting that the court misunderstood the law.
Differing Views from Callers
A caller named Linda questioned Smith's claim that 700,000 Albertans wanted a referendum, noting that 400,000 signed a petition to stay in Canada. Smith countered that the petition's intent was misinterpreted and that its originator, Thomas Lukaszuk, later changed his stance.
Internal Party Tensions
Moderator Wayne Nelson pointed out that separatist hardliners, such as Jeffrey Rath, accuse Smith of watering down the question and threaten to oust her. Smith acknowledged that she cannot please everyone, as there are three distinct groups with differing expectations. She reiterated that the province has laws on citizen initiatives, including the 2025 Election Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 54), which amended the Referendum Act, Citizen Initiative Act, and Recall Act, allowing citizens to demand a vote if they gather sufficient signatures.
