Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she did not sign a petition calling for a referendum on the province's withdrawal from Canada. According to her, the citizen initiative mechanism is designed to be led by citizens, not elected officials.
The statement was made on February 12, 2026, at a press conference in Calgary (the topic was actually about another government announcement). Smith emphasized that “the process initiated by citizens is intended for citizens” and added that she is monitoring the petition campaigns underway in the province: if any of them collect the required number of signatures, the government will have to discuss further steps.
What petition is being referred to
Officially, the “citizen initiative” on independence was issued by Elections Alberta. A press release dated January 2, 2026, states that the province's chief electoral officer has issued a petition for a constitutional proposal entitled “A Referendum Relating to Alberta Independence.”
The document specifies the wording of the question to be put to a vote:
“Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”
The key parameters of the campaign are also listed:
- Signature collection period: January 3–May 2, 2026
- Number of signatures required: 177,732
- Proponent: Mitch Sylvestre
- After the May 2, 2026 deadline, Elections Alberta will verify the signatures (the release describes the verification procedure and timeline).
Danielle Smith's position and the political context
Smith has long tried to maintain the line of “a strong/sovereign Alberta within a united Canada,” while not rejecting the idea of direct democracy as a principle. This is how she explains why she does not “interfere” in citizen initiatives, but monitors the progress of campaigns.
At the same time, the topic of Alberta's independence has become active again against the backdrop of broader political disputes. Reuters reported that activists are stepping up their efforts to launch a “popular” referendum and cited poll data showing that support for full independence is in the minority, while the majority is in favor of keeping Alberta within Canada.
Who else in the government has distanced themselves from the petition
In addition to the premier herself, a number of government officials have publicly stated that they did not sign the initiative:
- The Canadian Press (reprint) reported that Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides also said he did not sign, and the office of Environment Minister Grant Hunter confirmed the same;
- Earlier, Sports Minister Andrew Boychenko stated that he did not sign the petition.
- The same article mentions that Minister of Assisted Living Jason Nixon also said he did not sign.
What happens next
If the initiators collect 177,732 valid signatures by May 2, 2026, Elections Alberta must verify them and announce the result within the time frame specified by law.
Politically, the government will have to decide on further actions — this is what Smith meant when she said that if the signatures are successfully collected, it will be necessary to discuss the priorities and timing of a possible referendum.
Source: UkrNews.