EDMONTON — Members of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party caucus have voted to ask her to call a referendum on the province’s place in Canada.
UCP members on a legislature committee used their majority to vote down no votes from the Opposition NDP.
The issue now moves to Smith and her cabinet.
The premier has scheduled TV time for tonight amid speculation about a referendum announcement.
The motion urges Smith to call a vote for Oct. 19 based on a petition campaign that collected more than 400,000 signatures from Albertans who want to stay in Canada.
The NDP says Smith’s United Conservatives have shown themselves to be separatists by subverting the intent of the signature campaign to create a pretext for a vote to leave Confederation.
More coming.
Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
