Mayors of Calgary and Edmonton call proposed Alberta separatism referendum dangerous and damaging, citing risks to investment, unity, and social cohesion.
Calgary and Edmonton Mayors Sound Alarm on Alberta Separatism Talk
As discussions around Alberta’s potential separation from Canada gain momentum, the mayors of Calgary and Edmonton are raising urgent red flags. In separate interviews, both Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Mayor Amarjeet Sohi warned that pushing for a referendum on separation would create dangerous instability at a time when unity and economic recovery are more important than ever.
“It is very dangerous talk… for our economy, for our social cohesion,” said Mayor Sohi, calling it a divisive distraction that could “tear apart communities.”
Proposed Referendum Bill Fuels Concern
The recent proposal by Premier Danielle Smith’s government would lower the threshold required to launch a citizen-led referendum on constitutional issues—including separation.
Required signatures would drop from over 600,000 to 177,000
Signature collection window extended from 90 to 120 days
While Smith maintains the goal is to create an accessible democratic process, critics argue that it dangerously flirts with legitimizing separatist rhetoric, without any legal or constitutional road map for how actual separation would work.
No Path to Separation, Say Legal Experts
The Supreme Court of Canada has clearly stated that no province can unilaterally secede. Any referendum result would trigger complex federal negotiations involving land ownership, First Nations treaties, and federal assets like national parks.
Despite Smith’s comments that she defers to legal experts on the matter, constitutional scholars agree: there is no clear process for negotiating Alberta’s separation, making the very act of proposing a referendum a perilous game.
Economic Fallout a Major Fear
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, who previously ran as a federal Liberal and is not seeking re-election, said the risk of “full flight of investment” is real. Business leaders, he said, are already voicing concern over the instability separatism talk creates.
“A referendum will definitely cause full flight of investment from our communities,” said Sohi.
Echoing that concern, Mayor Gondek warned that reducing the barrier for referendums sends a signal of political unpredictability that could deter future investors.
“It creates uncertainty. It creates lack of confidence. It’s a dangerous game to play,” Gondek told reporters.
Municipal Leaders Reject Breakaway Mentality
Mayor Gondek pushed back strongly against the separatist sentiment, noting that even when municipalities have clashed with the provincial government, none have called for independence.
“We don’t do that because we know it’s not sustainable,” she said.
“So how on Earth can this province think it’s a good idea to separate from the rest of Canada?”
She cited strained relations with the provincial government on key projects—like Calgary’s billion-dollar Green Line transit plan—but emphasized that disagreements are no reason to abandon national unity.
Final Thoughts: A Time for Cooperation, Not Division
As Alberta wrestles with economic recovery and internal policy tensions, the province’s two largest urban centres are urging caution and pragmatism. With no viable legal path and deep potential fallout, both mayors agree: a referendum on separation is a dangerous diversion when Alberta—and Canada—need to move forward together.
Stay tuned to Maple News Wire for continued coverage of Alberta’s political future and federal-provincial relations.
