A separatist fringe has captured the UCP membership, and Premier Smith's path forward depends on satisfying them, even if most Albertans don't want separation.
Key Takeaways:
- Separatists claim to have met the 177,000 signature threshold a month early, but even if they fail formally, UCP members who control Smith's leadership fate may demand a referendum anyway.
- The premier's nine other referendum questions appear designed either as a release valve or to maximize separatist turnout, neither strategy offers a clear path to defusing the issue.
- A majority of Albertans believe Smith is a separatist and won't defend Alberta's place in Canada, an assessment supported by her refusal to give a clearer answer than “sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.”
