Smith announced in a televised address Thursday that a question on the Oct. 19 referendum will ask Albertans if they want to remain in Canada or start the process to hold a binding referendum on separation.

The move has been widely criticized, especially by those in Alberta's separatist movement. Many had been counting on Smith to directly put separation on a ballot, after a judge last week threw out a petition looking to force such a vote.

Jeff Rath, a lawyer for the petition group Stay Free Alberta, called Smith's move a betrayal for thousands of United Conservative Party members who have supported her.

He said he expects many will now call for a special meeting to review her leadership.

Smith, speaking to reporters Friday, defended her referendum question, saying the court ruling left her with "no other option."

She has promised to appeal the ruling but said the process could take years. The fall referendum still gives Albertans a chance to have their say, while giving her government the direction it needs, Smith said.

Asked if she's worried about her job, the premier said those who want a binding separation vote should put their efforts toward winning in October.

"There's two options: option one is to vote to remain in Canada; option two is to start the legal process to leave Canada. And I would say that those who want to go with option two should focus their efforts on that, and I will be focusing my efforts on 'remain.'

"I will honour the outcome, and I would hope that they would honour the outcome as well."

Dave Prisco, a spokesperson for the United Conservative Party, did not answer questions about whether there's been calls from constituency associations to hold a leadership review.

He said Smith enjoys strong support both outside and inside of the party membership, citing Smith's 91.5 per cent approval rating in her 2024 leadership review.

"Under her leadership, we are shattering all-time fundraising records, pulling in two and a half times what the NDP raised last quarter, and drawing sell-out crowds at events across the province," said Prisco.

"You only see results like that when you have a strong leader with overwhelming support."

A virtual town hall, for UCP members only, was scheduled for Saturday, according to the party's website.

Fallout out from the referendum announcement continued Friday from all sides, with business groups, Alberta mayors and a fellow premier all saying that even a referendum that contemplates separation as a future probability is a bad idea.

"I'd never do it," said Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

"Premier Smith knows how I feel. She wants to, I guess, protect her 30 per cent base. It's not going to win, as far as I'm concerned."

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said calling a referendum about having a future referendum shows "a ridiculous lack of provincial leadership" and will only bolster investor and economic uncertainty.

Smith said she can't ignore that hundreds of thousands of Albertans have signed two petitions on the issue.

Stay Free Alberta said its petition calling for a separation referendum had 300,000 signatures, although it hasn't been verified. A successful pro-Canada petition gathered more than 400,000 signatures last year.

Smith denied she's to blame for Alberta's current position.

She pointed instead to past federal governments and politicians in other provinces who have opposed developing the fossil fuels her province's coffers rely on as the reason why a chunk of Albertans are dead set on going it alone.

"That is the reason we are having this crisis right now," Smith said.

She said she's trying to find the solution and heralded Alberta's recent energy deal Prime Minister Mark Carney that aims to build a new bitumen pipeline to the West Coast.

Carney gave a plea for unity Friday. He didn't directly mention Smith's referendum but insisted the country can be improved by working closely with the Alberta on his economic agenda.

He also talked up the landmark energy agreement between Ottawa and Alberta and his efforts with other premiers to build up critical infrastructure.

"Canada is working," Carney said. "We're working in the spirit of co-operative federalism to make the country better."

Corey Hogan, one of two Alberta members of Parliament in Carney's caucus, was more direct. He said Smith's "internal political problems have become our national crisis."

Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi told a crowd in Calgary that despite Smith's expressed support for federalism, he doesn't expect she will lift a finger to keep the country together.?

Smith's referendum will be economically destabilizing and socially divisive, Nenshi said. He pledged to spend the summer defending Confederation.

He also said the "never-endum" won't be over in October. Because it isn't a definitive question, the issue won't be put to rest.

"For Danielle Smith to say, 'Oh, you wanted a referendum' -- not only is it lies, not only is it gaslighting, it treats Albertans like they're idiots. And Albertans are not idiots."

He said those who spent weeks gathering separatist signatures outside in the cold were "used as pawns" by the province and movement leaders.

"No matter what you did, the fix was in," Nenshi said, "and I think that should be very frustrating for everyone."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2026.

-- With Lisa Johnson in Edmonton, Dayne Patterson in Calgary, and Kyle Duggan in Ottawa