Alberta Premier Danielle Smith takes questions following address on province's future

CBC News

· Posted: May 06, 2025 12:13 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will take questions from reporters today following her live address Monday during which she touched on everything from perceived economic incursions from the federal Liberal government to her plans to strike a sovereignty panel.

In the 18-minute address Monday, Smith said Alberta will organize a panel to discuss Alberta's future in Canada.

She said Albertans will then have a chance to vote in a referendum next year on the more popular proposals discussed at the sovereignty panel.

Details of the membership and scope of the panel have yet to be released.

If citizens are successful in gaining enough signatures to require the government to pose a referendum question to the public, that question would also be on the ballot in 2026, Smith said.

Smith said her government has no plans to put the question of Alberta separating from Canada on the 2026 referendum ballot but said that Albertans are "frustrated with the direction" of the country.

Smith is expected to answer questions Tuesday at noon. 

• Watch today's news conference here, starting at 12 p.m. MT.

Smith also issued an updated list of demands she says Prime Minister Mark Carney's minority government must meet to show Albertans respect.

Smith's remarks during the video livestream Monday — in which reporters were not present and unable to ask questions — comes a week after the federal Liberals won a fourth consecutive federal election.

Smith said it's understandable that some Albertans are calling for separation after feeling the federal government won't let the province's economy prosper.

"I do not support Alberta separating from Canada," she added.