Hour 4 of Ottawa Now for Tues. May 19th, 2026

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has opted to present her own referendum question to Albertans in the fall, a move that is likely to divide her party as separatist sentiments in the province have reached decades-long highs. In a video address to Albertans on Thursday evening, Smith said her government will present its own referendum question to voters, one that copies neither of the questions presented in a pair of petitions that gathered more than 700,000 signatures in recent months. The government’s proposed question does not explicitly offer an option of Alberta independence, and...