Muhammad Amanullah
Date: October 9, 2026 The True Post (Web News) —Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has declined to specify how much public support her government would consider a strong mandate to implement proposals on immigration and constitutional matters in the provincial referendum scheduled for this month.
The referendum, set for October 19 in Alberta, will ask voters to respond to five questions related to immigration and four concerning Canada’s Constitution. The provincial government has also included a separate question on separation, asking whether voters want Alberta to remain part of Canada or support holding another legally binding referendum on leaving the country.
Mandate Threshold Remains Unclear
Smith has previously said that a majority of one vote above 50 per cent could be considered decisive support for the separation question. However, during a news conference on Thursday, she avoided providing a specific numerical threshold when asked what level of support would constitute a strong mandate for the remaining nine questions.
Smith said the government would assess the referendum results. She welcomed public interest in the vote and said the government wanted residents to participate in large numbers.
She added that the government would consider both voter turnout and the results, saying a clearer position could be presented on October 20, after the public’s views had been expressed.
Government Seeks Support for Nine Proposals
Journalists asked Smith why the government had not clarified before voting how much public support would be considered a strong mandate, given that it was seeking public approval to implement the proposals.
Smith responded that she wanted voters to endorse the nine proposals. However, she said she did not want to make any final decisions about them before the results were available.
According to Smith, the Alberta Next panel had already gathered views on these issues, but the government now wanted to hear directly from residents about whether they supported moving forward in the same direction.
Also Read: Errors Found in 3,000 Mail-In Ballots in Alberta as Danielle Smith Defends Electoral System
Question of More Than 50 Per Cent Support
On April 23, when the government launched its referendum website, Smith said the government wanted voters to examine the facts before casting their ballots and provide a strong mandate for change.
On Thursday, she was asked why the government would not establish a threshold of one vote above 50 per cent for the other questions. Smith said that this could generally be the standard used. However, as journalists sought further clarification, her press secretary brought the question-and-answer session to an end.
Five Questions on Immigration
The immigration proposals in the referendum seek public views on expanding the provincial government’s authority over immigration and potentially changing eligibility rules for publicly funded services.
The questions include whether Alberta should have greater control over immigration, whether people without permanent resident status should be excluded from provincially funded programmes, and whether they should have to wait at least 12 months before becoming eligible for social assistance.
Other proposals concern charging such individuals fees for healthcare and education services, as well as requiring proof of Canadian citizenship to vote in provincial elections.
Referendum Also Covers Constitutional Powers
The four constitutional questions will ask voters whether provincial governments should have the authority to select judges, whether the Senate should be abolished, whether provinces should be allowed to opt out of federal programmes while retaining the associated federal funding, and whether provincial laws should take precedence over federal laws.
The referendum results will reveal the level of public support for these proposals. However, Danielle Smith has not yet determined what level of backing the government will consider a strong mandate on the nine questions other than the one concerning separation.
