Alberta Premier Plans Historic Fall Referendums on Immigration and Constitutional Issues
EDMONTON, Alberta:The public mood toward immigration has shifted across Canada, as a recent surge in newcomers has strained housing and public services, though not as dramatically as former Premier Smith had predicted.
Alberta’s fiscal situation has also changed, with lower-than-expected oil prices turning an $8.3 billion surplus into a significant deficit this year, and another round of red ink expected in the province’s budget next Thursday.
In a televised address on Thursday, Premier Smith drew a direct line between rising immigration and Alberta’s fiscal pressures: “Throwing the doors open to anyone and everyone across the globe has flooded our classrooms, emergency rooms and social support systems with far too many people, far too quickly.”
Her proposed solutions include restricting newcomers and limiting the services they receive. Rather than implementing these measures immediately, Smith plans to let Albertans decide through referendums scheduled for Oct. 19.
Five of the ballot questions will focus on immigration, while four more cover constitutional reforms explored by her Alberta Next panels — including potential Senate abolition and giving the province authority over judicial appointments, a role currently held by Ottawa.
A ninth, and potentially tenth, question asks voters whether Alberta should separate from Canada, contingent on the success of an ongoing independence petition drive.
If held, these nine or ten referendums would represent the most extensive exercise of direct democracy in Alberta’s 120-year history. Prior to this, the province has conducted only eight province-wide referendums, covering topics such as prohibition, daylight saving time, electrification, and, most recently, equalization in 2021.
