Alberta separatist leader pushes fall referendum Option 2 vote to give Premier Danielle Smith leverage with Ottawa

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeLocal NewsNationalPolitics Alberta separatist leader pushes fall referendum Option 2 vote to give Premier Danielle Smith leverage with Ottawa 'Voting for Option 2 gives the premier leverage. Voting Option 1 is a surrender' Author of the article: By Cindy Tran Published Sep 20, 2026 2 minute read Join the conversation The Canadian flag and an Alberta provincial flag fly together in Cochrane. PHOTO BY GAVIN YOUNG /Postmedia Article content Even those opposing Alberta separation should vote Option 2 on the fall ballot, arming Premier Danielle Smith with leverage to make constitutional reforms with Ottawa, separatist advocate Keith Wilson told a Sunday forum hosted by former Reform Party of Canada leader Preston. Article content Manning and former B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell co-hosted the Alberta and the West Assembly online forum over two days, hearing an emotional address from Smith on Saturday and Wilson on Sunday. Pro-independence advocates made the case for Alberta’s separation citing grievances over equalization, federal interference, and oil and gas regulations. Article content Article content Article content Wilson, a lawyer and co-chair of Let Alberta Decide, encouraged all Albertans — even those who are against separation — to vote in favour of Option 2, which asks the government to begin the process to hold a binding referendum on separation. Option 1 asks if Alberta should remain a province in Canada. Article content Headline News Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content “Voting for Option 2 gives the premier leverage. Voting Option 1 is a surrender. It is a message to Prime Minister Carney and Ottawa that Albertans are fine with the current arrangement, that everything’s okay,” Wilson said. Article content Voting for Option 2 of question 10 is not about agreeing with separation, Wilson stressed, but whether Albertans are happy with the status quo. Article content Wilson, responding to a question, said a majority vote for Option 2 would “completely take the wind out of the current pushes” for a separatist party. Article content On Saturday, Smith said she is campaigning for Alberta to remain in Canada and the referendum on separation is framed as…