This is going to be the year of the Alberta independence referendum. Advocates for both federalism and independence have collected hundreds of thousands of signatures demanding a referendum be held, and it’s time to schedule the voting date and get on with it. The authority to schedule a binding constitutional referendum rests squarely with the office of the premier, and she may as well bite the bullet and officially set the date.Opponents to independence have morphed their movement from one promoting federalism into one opposing democracy. They are using the courts to try to block Albertans from having a democratic vote, and it is only fostering more division. Their efforts only delay the inevitable at best. I am not saying that a positive vote for independence is inevitable, but holding a referendum is.The Clarity Act became law in Canada back in 2000. It laid out the process for a province to exit the federation through a referendum. The process is a tough one, but it is a legal one and has been for a generation. It speaks volumes that Canada accepted this process as a national law when it was being applied to Quebec, but when Albertans decided to pursue a referendum, the ability to do so was brought before the courts. That double standard illustrates why a third of Albertans are ready to leave the federation and why the number is growing.The independence movement in Alberta has had ups and downs since the early 1980s. It has never been so strong and widely organized as it is today, though. The 2025 federal election enraged the province, and the fury wasn’t short-lived as it had been in the past. Instead, it has been channelled into established activism and massive petition campaigns calling for a referendum.In 1995, the message from Canada to Quebec as they headed toward a referendum was “Please don’t go!” .In 2026, the message from Canada to Albertans has been, “You aren’t allowed to go!” In fact, “You aren’t even allowed to have a vote on the question.” Not only is that an insulting double standard, but it also sets a dangerous stage. When a movement has momentum with over one-in-three people asking for a democratic exercise, and the democratic mechanism is taken away from them, it doesn’t kill the movement. It inspires some to work toward undemocratic means of change. Albertans have no interest in violence, and even if the referendum were blocked, the vast majority of Albertans would never consider becoming violent. Let’s not be so naïve as to believe there aren’t at least a handful of unhinged individuals who may consider doing something stupid if they feel there is no other path to change, though. A referendum releases that sort of pressure. The FLQ vanished once Quebec began using democratic pursuit of independence. It would be foolhardy to foster the seeds of such a movement in Alberta by denying the citizens the right to vote.Federalists are claiming that the independence discussion in itself will cause massive economic damage due to the instability it could cause, even if a yes vote doesn’t happen.That argument fails on two fronts. Alberta had $670 billion in energy projects cancelled or deferred over a decade due to federal government interference. An independence referendum won’t do more damage than staying the course will. Also, there is no other way to end the instability than to hold a referendum on the issue and get it over with. Do they really think the instability will disappear simply by removing the ability to hold a referendum? Do they believe the independence supporters will just shrug and give up?The path to stability is through peeling off the band-aid and getting it over with.If federalists are confident that support for Alberta independence will remain in the 30% range, they should be welcoming a referendum on the issue so it can be put to bed..It’s time to quit wasting time in the courts. Premier Smith already said that if a question on independence is to be put to a referendum, it will be done on October 19, with the other scheduled questions. She may as well take the word “if” from the statement and just schedule the vote. No more asking judges. Tell the Chief Electoral Officer that the vote will be held and to either accommodate it or be replaced by a bureaucrat who will. This is all within the premier’s authority. It wouldn’t mean Smith supports a yes vote. It would mean that she supports democracy, and I expect she would phrase it that way.The discussion of Alberta’s independence must be held in a full campaign and resolved one way or another. It’s the healthiest path we can take. Quit trying to tell us we can’t go. We can. Try telling us why we shouldn’t choose to. Let’s get the campaign rolling.
