Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she will not hold a second separation referendum for as long as she is premier, following a historic vote that saw a majority of Albertans choose to remain in Canada.
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Addressing the province on Oct. 20, Smith acknowledged the results of the Oct. 19 referendum, emphasizing that the high voter turnout was a powerful testament to the passion Albertans feel for both their province and the country.
“The resulting vote from Albertans has given our government a clear mandate,” Smith said. “Alberta will remain a province of Canada. Albertans will continue to be Canadians.”
While ruling out future votes on separation, Smith stressed that her government will continue to aggressively assert provincial autonomy under the Constitution using all available legal and political tools, noting that ongoing disputes with Ottawa will be handled within the nation’s legal institutions.
CFB Wainwright Tragedy Addressed
Before turning to the referendum results, Smith opened her address by honouring the victims and survivors of a tragic incident at CFB Wainwright this past weekend.
She paid tribute to the four soldiers who died: Pte. Aidan Goulding, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, and Sgt. Morgan Wong.
“These men will forever be heroes of Canada,” Smith said, adding that her government is ensuring that 27 injured soldiers still receiving hospital care, as well as their families, receive full support throughout their treatment and recovery.
Referendum Mandates and Next Steps
Smith noted that preliminary results indicate voters also directed the provincial government to take greater control over immigration to manage population growth, ensure temporary residents contribute to public service costs, and require proof of Canadian citizenship to vote.
Results regarding potential provincial autonomy over judicial appointments, abolishing the Senate and equalization reforms remain pending as Elections Alberta finalizes counts.
Reaching out to the hundreds of thousands of voters who chose separation, Smith acknowledged their deep frustrations with past federal policies, particularly during the previous federal administration, but invited them to look forward.
“I want to invite every Albertan who may still feel hopeless or frustrated with the past direction of our country, to believe and hop
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