April 9, 2026
Alberta Electoral Boundaries
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June 4, 2026
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
It is not what governments say that defines them. It is what they do.
We have a separatist government in Alberta.
It does not matter what members of this government say. It only matters what they do. And over the past three years, what they have done, consistently, is enable the possibility of a referendum on separation from Canada.
On May 20, the MLA for Strathcona-Sherwood Park, Nate Glubish, put forward a motion in committee to hold a referendum on separation. He later said he would vote to remain in Canada. That is what he said, but what he did was support the machinery and momentum behind separatism.
And that distinction matters.
There is no need to hold a referendum on separation in Alberta. There are no questions that cannot already be asked through the democratic processes we use every day. We have conversations in our communities. We hold town halls. We gather input from stakeholders, constituents, and experts. We conduct polling. We debate issues openly in the Legislature.
That is how a representative democracy works.
Referendums are costly and blunt instruments that avoid the responsibility elected officials have to listen, deliberate, and make informed decisions.
And they are expensive. The UCP government is prepared to spend more than $100 million of taxpayer money on referendums instead of doing the work Albertans elected them to do.
Even more concerning is the substance of many of the proposed referendum questions. Several deal with issues outside of provincial jurisdiction, matters that are, in reality, federal responsibilities. Others create confusion rather than clarity. The most significant question of all—whether Alberta should separate from Canada—is not even being put forward directly. Instead, we are seeing attempts to enable a future referendum on separation.
Albertans did not ask for this. Sherwood Park did not ask for this.
For decades, Alberta premiers of all political stripes have understood how to deal with separatist movements: you reject them. You tell them clearly that Alberta’s future is within Canada. You focus on governing.
If there is genuine support for separatism, there is already a path. Individuals and groups can run in general elections on that platform. In fact, they have done so many times. Each time, Albertans have repeatedly rejected them. Separatist parties have failed to win seats, and often struggle to gain even a small share of the vote.
That is democracy working exactly as it should.
There is no need to rewrite the rules or create new mechanisms to elevate an idea that Albertans have consistently declined to support.
What Albertans are asking for is something much more practical. They want a government focused on their priorities: building hospitals, building schools, and investing in the infrastructure that attracts jobs and grows our economy. They want good-paying work today and opportunity for the next generation.
Instead, we are being asked to entertain divisive and unnecessary referendums that do nothing to improve our daily lives.
I want to be clear: enabling a referendum on separation, whether direct or indirect, is not a neutral act. It legitimizes uncertainty, fuels division, and distracts from the real work of governing.
Alberta deserves better.
We need leadership that is focused on strengthening our communities, growing our economy, and keeping Alberta a strong part of Canada. That means rejecting distractions and getting back to the priorities that matter most to people across this province.
Because in the end, it is not what governments say that defines them. It is what they do.
