CALGARY — Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi has told the Western Standard that there will be no further referendums on Alberta independence if he becomes premier.Speaking to the media before taking part in the first day of advance voting for the October 19 referendum on Tuesday, Nenshi said he hopes independence supporters suffer a decisive defeat but also acknowledged they could claim a political victory even if they lose.“I would love to see an 80%-20% or a 75%-25%,” he said when asked about his preferred outcome for the overall vote.“At the end of the day, what we really know is that the support for separatism hasn't grown at all. It's been the same for 20, 25 years. So, despite Premier Smith pandering to the separatists, despite her changing the laws for them, they haven't increased their support.”The latest Leger poll from October 8 shows roughly 70% of respondents saying they would vote to stay in Canada, while only 22% said they would choose to have the Alberta government begin the legal process required to hold a binding referendum on independence.Only 7% were undecided.When asked about independence supporters who might consider receiving 30% of the vote a victory and attempt another referendum in the future, Nenshi was blunt in his response.“If I’m premier, there will be no more referendums,” he told the Western Standard..Pro-Alberta independence TPAs demand Elections Alberta allow nationalist and federalist scrutineers .Nenshi then took the opportunity to take a shot at Premier Danielle Smith, saying that she deliberately created the circumstances that led to the referendum."This referendum came because the premier made this referendum happen," Nenshi said."She changed the law three times to make it easier for her separatist friends. They would not have made the signatures that they needed if she hadn't changed the law."He also said the other nine questions on the ballot involving immigration and constitutional changes would be used by the premier to keep grievances among members of the independence movement and her voter base alive after the referendum results were in.“Her plan with the other nine questions is to just keep grievances going, to keep people angry all the time, to distract and scapegoat,” he said.“She wants this to go on forever because it's to her political advantage. She's right, though. Albertans are very angry, but they're angry at her. They're angry at her for putting us in this position. And so she has no other track.”Advance polling runs from October 13 to October 17, ahead of referendum day on Monday, October 19.
