Alberta Premier Danielle Smith faces a renewed push from separatist activists to force a leadership review inside her United Conservative Party, after roughly 76% of Albertans voted to remain in Canada, according to unofficial results.
Separatist activist Jeffrey Rath said Monday night that “our movement isn’t going anywhere” and that its members plan to take control of the party. He wants a special general meeting at which members would decide whether Smith keeps the leadership.
Smith passed her last review in 2024 with 91.5% support, and the party says none is planned for its annual general meeting in Calgary. Forcing one takes motions from 22 local association boards, a quarter of the total. At least three had passed such motions before the vote, while the party says dozens of others back Smith.
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Rath has targeted Smith since May, when she added the separation question after a judge quashed a separatist petition. He called the decision a betrayal of party members.
Smith wants a mandate on the other nine questions, covering immigration and constitutional changes, to bargain with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who campaigned against all nine. Yes votes led on most in early returns, though the constitutional questions ran tightest and the no side led on Question 8, which covers provincial opt-outs from federal programs. Elections Alberta expects the full count Wednesday.
The premier voted to remain and thanked Albertans on social media Monday night. She plans to address the province Tuesday evening and has promised that a simple majority would settle the question, with no second referendum before her government’s term ends.
Carney said Albertans chose unity and that the country will now move forward together. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi thanked voters and said his party now turns to saving Alberta.
Thomas Lukaszuk, the former deputy premier behind the pro-Canada Forever Canadian petition, put the referendum’s cost at $130 million, in line with a former chief electoral officer’s June estimate that Finance Minister Jason Nixon called extremely high. Lukaszuk said Smith could have asked legislators to vote on the question instead of calling a referendum. Election officials verified over 400,000 signatures on his petition.
Over 1.3 million Albertans, or 43.1% of eligible voters, voted in advance polls or by special ballot before Monday, according to Elections Alberta. Late openings at several polling stations delayed the first results by more than three hours, and officials must finish a hand count of all ballots within 48 hours.
