Smith Gives Emotional Speech at Online Forum Ahead of Referendum

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith delivers a speech on Alberta Day in Calgary on Aug. 30, 2026. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith became emotional while delivering the opening speech at a virtual forum on Sept. 19, as she described the frustrations driving some Albertans toward separation, while arguing that the province should remain in Canada.

Albertans are angry, Smith said, holding back tears on Sept. 19, the first day of the Alberta and the West Assembly. She cited farmers under pressure, young families struggling to afford homes, and parents facing rising grocery and utility costs.

The two-day virtual event was co-hosted and co-chaired by former Reform Party leader Preston Manning and former British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell.

Alberta will hold a referendum on Oct. 19 featuring 10 questions covering immigration, eligibility for provincially funded programs, voting requirements, provincial control over judges, Senate abolition, federal funding and provincial jurisdiction.

The 10th question asks voters to choose between remaining a province of Canada or having the Alberta government begin the legal process required to hold a future binding referendum on separation. Elections Alberta says the results of all 10 questions are non-binding.

In her forum speech, Smith said polls suggest the majority of Albertans will vote to remain in Canada, but said the number who would support separation is still “too high for comfort.”

“Even many of those who are voting to remain are fed up, and the Albertans considering the other option are not, for the most part, against Canada or fellow Canadians. They’re just heartbroken by it, and that distinction matters,” she said.

Citing grievances with Ottawa, Smith said Alberta has been affected by federal legislation and policies targeting the province’s energy sector.

“We watched pipelines cancelled... We watched an emissions cap aimed at one industry, ours, and in essentially one region, Alberta, and electricity regulations that would have made it hard to keep the lights on in one of the coldest places in the country,” she said.

Smith also reiterated her view that Alberta contributes disproportionately to federal revenues compared with what it receives in federal funding and services.

“Some begin to ask a painful question: Does this country actually want us?” she said.

Smith said she will vote for Alberta to remain in Canada because she believes pressure from Alberta is producing changes in Ottawa, citing shifts in federal energy and environmental policies and new energy projects.

Alberta should remain in Canada while seeking greater provincial autonomy and respect for its constitutional rights, she said, adding that she believes Canada can be rebuilt as a country where Alberta is treated as a full partner.

“Canada hasn’t always gotten things right; far from it. But for the first time in a long time, it’s moving in the right direction, and it’s moving because the West pushed it there,” she said.

“Nearly 40 years ago, the message was, ‘the West wants in.’ Today, Alberta’s message is much the same. We want in on fair terms as full partners in a country that respects what we contribute, and we can’t do that alone.”