Dozens Brave the Cold to Push Back on Smith's October Referendum

While Premier Danielle Smith spent Saturday morning fielding calls from supportive Albertans on her provincewide radio show, dozens of others were standing in freezing temperatures outside the Alberta Legislature and at Calgary City Hall telling a very different story.

The back-to-back demonstrations on February 21 were a direct response to Smith's Thursday announcement of an October referendum, which will put nine questions to Albertans on issues ranging from provincial separation to restricting social services for newcomers and non-permanent residents.

"We're Moving Backwards. It's Got to Stop."

Keith Weir, a retiree who drove to the Edmonton rally with his son, didn't hold back. Weir has worked across multiple provinces throughout his career and called Canada "the greatest country in the world." Watching the current provincial government chip away at that, he said, was "disheartening."

Not far away, members of the Edmonton Raging Grannies many of them immigrants who chose Canadian citizenship held signs and pushed back on what they see as deliberate scapegoating. Spokeswoman Marilyn Gaa, originally from the United States, said the Premier is using immigration as a distraction from real issues. "She's put a whole lot of attention on things that are irrelevant to our well-being," Gaa said, pointing to what she described as ongoing failures in health care and education.

Smith's Radio Show Told a Different Story

While protesters gathered outside, Smith's morning call-in show painted a contrasting picture of public opinion. Several callers praised her Thursday address, with one telling her: "You're on the right track and I'm so thankful you're the premier at such a time as this." One immigrant caller said he supported limiting social services for newcomers, arguing they should "pay their own way."

What's Actually in the Referendum?

The nine referendum questions have drawn sharp criticism beyond the protest signs. Several ask whether social services should be restricted for immigrants, and whether newcomers should be required to live in Alberta for a full year before qualifying for certain programs. Others touch on constitutional amendments.

Economists and political scientists warned this week that some proposals particularly those targeting immigrants could harm Alberta's economy long-term and deepen social divisions across the province. Smith pushed back Saturday, saying federal immigration policy under Justin Trudeau left Alberta "flooded with newcomers" and that the referendum is about giving Albertans a real say.

NDP: "Let's Have a Damn Election"

NDP MLA David Shepherd, who represents Edmonton-City Centre, wasn't buying the referendum framing. Speaking at the Edmonton rally, he argued that if Smith's government truly believes it needs a fresh mandate from Albertans, there's a more straightforward way to get one.

"If this government wants a vote, if they think they need a mandate, then let's have a damn election," Shepherd said.

What Comes Next

Whether Saturday's demonstrations grow into something larger will depend on what unfolds between now and October. But for the Albertans who showed up in the cold this weekend retirees, immigrants, grannies with signs the message was clear: separation and scapegoating aren't the Alberta they know.

Sources: The Canadian Press, Government of Alberta referendum announcement (Feb. 20, 2026)