Smith dismisses Ford’s warning about separatist threats in Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is urging her Ontario counterpart Doug Ford to mind his own business when it comes to talk of separating from Canada.

Smith announced this week that she doesn’t want Alberta to leave Canada but, if enough residents sign a petition asking for a referendum on it, she’ll make sure it’s put to a vote in 2026.

Ford, without mentioning Smith by name, said Tuesday that Canadian unity is critical as the country engages in a tariff fight with the United States.

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Premier Danielle Smith to take questions from reporters about Alberta’s future in Canada

“This is a time to unite the country, not people saying, ‘Oh, I’m leaving the country,’” Ford said.

Asked about his remarks, Smith said she has a great friendship with Ford but that they have different jurisdictions to govern.

“I don’t tell him how he should run his province, and I would hope that he doesn’t tell me how I should run mine,” she said.

She made the comments at a news conference Tuesday, answering a wide range of questions about everything from the potential economic impact of separatism threats to the continued concern of Indigenous leaders.

Last week, Smith’s United Conservative government introduced legislation that, if passed, would sharply reduce the bar petitioners need to meet to trigger a provincial referendum.

Chiefs from more than a dozen First Nations across Alberta held what they called an emergency meeting in Edmonton on Tuesday and, at a news conference, condemned any talk of Alberta separation.

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