PJ The Belt - May 20, 2026


SHE’S CALLING A REFERENDUM ANYWAY! — Alberta Separation Vote Announced？

Topics
alberta independence petition referendum Alberta Separatism Petition & Duty to Consult
Mentioned
Danielle Smith Thomas Lukasik Nereman Issa Matt Nahid Nenshi Donald Trump Jason Kenney Tyson Tara
“NO LONGER OUR ALLY” — Trump CUTS Canada Out of Military Alliance Alberta Finally Votes To LEAVE Canada？ — It's Long Overdue

Episode Stats


Length

14 minutes

Words per minute

180.05

Word count

2,534

Sentence count

131

Harmful content

Misogyny

8

sentences flagged

Toxicity

4

sentences flagged

Hate speech

1

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

It looks like Alberta is still headed to a referendum in October, even though a judge recently blocked it from happening. And now, a rumour has it that Premier Danielle Smith is calling a referendum anyway, despite a recent ruling by a judge who blocked the Alberta independence petition from moving forward.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Toxicity classifications generated with s-nlp/roberta_toxicity_classifier .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
Topics generated with Qwen2.5-3B-Instruct.
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 Ladies and gentlemen, a lot of news coming out of Alberta today.
00:00:03.840 I don't even know where to begin.
00:00:05.380 It now looks like we're getting a referendum, regardless of that judge's decision.
00:00:10.220 And if you've been paying attention to this story, you know there was a judge recently
00:00:13.760 who stepped in and blocked the Alberta independence petition from moving forward.
00:00:18.320 And now, rumor inside Alberta is that the Premier, Danielle Smith, is calling one anyways.
00:00:23.920 Which means that after all this drama,
00:00:26.080 Albertans are still heading to a referendum in October.
00:00:28.560 Let's try to break this down.
00:00:30.000 So you have this news being reported from a local Alberta journalist who works with Global News Radio.
00:00:36.680 Alberta NDP leader Nahid Nanshi is claiming a sovereignty referendum will likely be greenlit this week.
00:00:42.560 He points to a meeting for the Forever Canadian Committee being called for Wednesday, adding that reports suggest a primetime TV address has been slated for Thursday.
00:00:55.720 So it looks like the premier is going to be addressing the province for some major news this coming Thursday.
00:01:01.340 So this is the press release. All indications point to Premier Danielle Smith proceeding with a separatist referendum this October, despite having no public mandate.
00:01:09.780 She actually does. No legal basis. She actually does. And facing clear opposition from Albertans and First Nations, not all Albertans and not all First Nations.
00:01:20.320 Only the chiefs are against it. A lot of band members actually support it, but I digress. The government has scheduled a meeting of the Forever Canadian Committee for Wednesday, May the 20th, and the premier has reportedly spent taxpayer money purchasing airtime for a province-wide TV address on Thursday, May the 21st.
00:01:38.560 Quote, Premier Smith wants to run a separatist referendum solely to save her political skin, said Nahid Nenshi, leader of the official opposition of Alberta.
00:01:47.800 Quote, we've always known that she owes her job to the separatists. 0.85
00:01:51.540 She thought she could control them. 0.63
00:01:53.520 Now we know they control her. 1.00
00:01:55.620 Quote, a referendum on separation, something Danielle Smith never campaigned on, will damage Alberta's economy, delay investment and break apart our country. 1.00
00:02:04.680 And she's doing it anyway.
00:02:06.140 But I know Albertans are proud Canadians.
00:02:07.840 we will fight the premier separatist referendum defend alberta and canada and ensure albertans 0.97
00:02:12.400 stand together against this attack on our country this guy's a damn joke if it was up to these 0.94
00:02:16.800 people they would literally use the rcmp to quash the alberta independence movement they wouldn't 0.96
00:02:23.680 even allow the petition campaign no matter how many albertans want it no matter how many people
00:02:29.120 sign it a million people could sign it if and if it was up to them they would do what the liberals
00:02:34.960 did to the trucker convoy back in 2022 like this people do not they talk about democracy and they
00:02:41.860 talk about respecting the rule of law yet they do not respect the will of over 300 000 albertans
00:02:47.980 who signed the petition to get a democratic referendum on independence the local news here
00:02:53.800 in alberta are also covering this let's watch the organizer behind the forever canadian petition
00:02:58.880 could get his chance to speak in front of a committee this week that could decide the
00:03:03.300 petition's future. CDB's Nereman Issa joins us now. So, Nereman, what can you tell us about this
00:03:08.260 meeting? Well, Matt, Thomas Lukasik says he was told Friday night he may be invited to present
00:03:13.300 his case for keeping Alberta in Canada in front of a special committee tomorrow afternoon. Now,
00:03:18.880 he says he's not happy his petition could possibly become a referendum question.
00:03:23.200 But that's what he signed up for. The form he filled out is calling for a referendum,
00:03:29.180 and he knows it but this guy's been running a grift on people who are scared of donald trump
00:03:35.900 the whole trump derangement syndrome situation that's happening here in canada getting people
00:03:40.160 to sign onto his database for his political ambitions but let's hear what he has to say
00:03:45.620 why don't we as he would rather have this discussed in the legislature no vote would be you apply for 0.55
00:03:52.480 a referendum dude question on a referendum it will be like a poll uh she she'll be polling 0.88
00:03:57.980 Albertans, but she cannot do anything with the outcome of that question. You applied for a
00:04:02.920 referendum, you scumbag. And now you're lying to people, telling them that, oh, I don't want a 1.00
00:04:08.440 referendum. That's exactly what you applied for. If you go look at the form on the Elections
00:04:14.120 Alberta website, it says that he's applying for a referendum. It's just his question was not a
00:04:20.500 constitutional one. So the requirements were much lower. He didn't have to collect addresses. I
00:04:26.260 I don't even think he had to confirm ID on like the state free Alberta, who a lot of people didn't sign because they don't want to put their address down because they saw what happened to the truckers, the whole frozen bank accounts in Canada.
00:04:37.920 A lot of people were afraid of that. But I digress. This guy is just running a grift. He knows he was signing up for a referendum. He knows he knows that. And now he's saying, I don't want a referendum.
00:04:48.760 which separatists, I imagine, won't be happy with either
00:04:52.320 because they want, you know, action from the Premier.
00:04:56.600 Thomas Lukaszek's question asks,
00:04:58.480 do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?
00:05:01.540 Nearly 439,000 Albertans signed the forever Canadian petition.
00:05:06.080 Meantime, NDP leader in a head and end,
00:05:07.800 she says he expects a referendum question about separation to...
00:05:11.200 They also collected in that beautiful weather you see on your screen.
00:05:15.320 The Alberta independence movement had to collect in minus 30,
00:05:18.600 minus 40 degree weather you saw long super long lines outside in the cold in alberta winter
00:05:25.720 these people collected in beautiful plus 20 plus 25 degree weather celsius by the way for those of
00:05:31.320 you south of the border um it's not even close and i think they said that they had nearly half
00:05:36.840 a million and then they like they disqualified like 40 or 50 000 other signatures and again they
00:05:42.760 didn't have to review addresses so anyone could sign people who are not from alberta could sign
00:05:47.240 people who didn't live in canada probably even immigrants could easily sign illegal immigrants
00:05:52.440 could easily sign that petition the stay free alberta campaign had to verify with driver's
00:05:57.480 license i signed that petition they had to get my driver's license and i had to give them a physical
00:06:02.760 address my physical home address in order for them to be able to collect my signature so it's not
00:06:09.720 even close and why is that because the alberta independence petition is a constitutional one
00:06:14.920 It's a real petition for Alberta to become independent from Canada.
00:06:19.460 His petition is a nothing burger.
00:06:21.520 The judge called it that.
00:06:23.640 Even the judge who ruled called it that.
00:06:25.220 It's a nothing burger because it's asking, should Alberta remain in Canada?
00:06:28.560 It's like asking, should the sky stay blue?
00:06:31.440 So it's not asking for a change.
00:06:33.420 Here on the ballot this fall.
00:06:35.560 There is no petition.
00:06:36.740 There is no referendum. 0.80
00:06:38.580 The only way that there will be a referendum is if Danielle Smith makes one happen herself.
00:06:44.920 And if she does do that, then the mask slips and we know she's been a separatist this entire time.
00:06:51.320 If she does it, she's respecting the will of the people.
00:06:54.460 You see all those people on the screen?
00:06:56.000 They all sign the petition.
00:06:58.060 They're Albertans just as much as every other Albertan.
00:07:01.520 And they pay taxes here in Alberta and they work hard and they deserve to have their voices heard.
00:07:05.880 But again, if it was up to these people, they would have the RCMP quash all demonstrations.
00:07:11.780 They've shown what they're made of.
00:07:13.280 They've shown what they're willing to do when they disagree with a political movement.
00:07:18.340 Again, go back to the truckers and just look at what the Liberals did to the truckers.
00:07:24.220 And they're planning, make no mistake about it, they're planning to do the exact same thing with Alberta patriots.
00:07:29.740 The separatist stay free petition was quashed on the grounds First Nations were not properly consulted.
00:07:35.540 The province says it will be appealing that decision, calling the ruling incorrect in law and anti-democratic.
00:07:42.420 And today, the organizers behind the Stay Free Alberta independence movement
00:07:46.040 filed their own application with the Court of Appeal.
00:07:49.420 Matt?
00:07:50.360 Yeah, they're saying that there was a duty to consult the First Nations,
00:07:53.980 but how could they possibly consult the First Nations when no rights are being violated?
00:07:58.500 A question is being asked.
00:08:00.500 No rights are being violated.
00:08:01.800 It's not like we're moving forward with separation, like we already won a referendum.
00:08:05.420 That's when the duty to consult kicks in as per the Supreme Court.
00:08:08.800 But at this stage, there's no need to consult at this stage because we're only asking a question.
00:08:15.480 None of the treaty rights are being violated at this time.
00:08:18.580 Thomas Lukasik will finally have the chance to speak to a legislative committee about his Forever Canadian petition tomorrow.
00:08:25.040 This is amid the ongoing Alberta separation talks.
00:08:27.840 A court decision last week quashed the separation petition question after the province failed to consult with First Nations.
00:08:34.160 Organizers are now appealing, but a question on separation could still be coming.
00:08:38.800 Tyson Fedor explains.
00:08:40.800 Watch for this guy to use his airtime if this is transmitted live or it's televised in any way, shape or form.
00:08:48.480 Watch for this guy to use his airtime to continue to run his grift, to continue to fundraise.
00:08:54.360 Look at me. I'm in front of the legislature fighting to keep Canada together.
00:08:59.420 And I'm fighting for old Canadians and making sure that, you know, you donate to my project and that you sign up to my political database for my future political ambitions.
00:09:10.920 My political career was dead in the water. 0.97
00:09:13.680 I was a forgotten has-been, a disgrace has-been.
00:09:17.060 But now I'm going to be relevant again because I'm clinging on to this whole anti-Trump sentiment that has taken over Canada.
00:09:22.400 And I'm using that to benefit myself.
00:09:24.860 A court decision last week that struck down the Alberta separatist petition has been appealed by State Free Alberta.
00:09:32.060 The group has also asked for that decision to be stayed until that appeal is complete.
00:09:36.580 Hard applications are a binary process, right? It's yes or no, flip a point, right?
00:09:41.460 So, but that being said, you know, we think that we have some very, very strong arguments as to why this decision is so wrong.
00:09:49.500 It comes as Thomas Lukasik will have five minutes to speak to a legislative committee for the first time.
00:09:53.900 It's a question Lukasik believes should have been voted on in the legislature, not a public referendum.
00:09:59.220 And the opposition NDP feels Smith will put a question about separation on a ballot in October.
00:10:04.740 In last week's Alberta Court of Kings bench decision, the justice found the province failed to meet its duty to consult First Nations before allowing a process that could affect treaty rights.
00:10:13.500 Both the Alberta government and petition organizers argue no treaty rights.
00:10:17.040 That is the kind of weather that Alberta Patriots collect their signature in.
00:10:21.520 That weather right there.
00:10:22.760 Talk about completely different circumstances, tougher people.
00:10:27.920 If you deny these people a referendum, it's not going to be good politically for anyone who does.
00:10:33.620 Albertans are done.
00:10:35.260 And I've never seen a people more determined than Albertans.
00:10:39.600 These people are more determined than the trucker convoy.
00:10:43.100 You deny them a referendum.
00:10:45.080 You deny them the ability to send a message to Ottawa, a real message,
00:10:50.460 and potentially create our own country,
00:10:52.940 it's not going to go well politically for anyone who tries to do that.
00:10:57.040 But I know that the leftists are more than willing to do that.
00:10:59.780 That's actually their goal.
00:11:01.040 Their goal is to completely deny a referendum,
00:11:03.740 even if they have to use the RCMP to quash the independence movement.
00:11:07.900 I mean, lawfare has already begun.
00:11:10.300 They're already saying, oh, it's the Russians, it's the Americans,
00:11:13.640 it's fake influencers, AI.
00:11:16.940 They've blamed a million things on this.
00:11:18.980 were actually infringed upon and the need for consultation only applies once the petition is
00:11:24.360 successful. Exactly. Meanwhile, BC's premier is taking aim at Alberta and Ottawa. Well,
00:11:28.920 this country cannot work if separatist premiers, others get all of the attention of the federal
00:11:38.580 government. The former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations was in Calgary Tuesday speaking
00:11:42.980 about sustainability and First Nation consultation. He believes separation would not be in the best
00:11:47.660 interest of all canadians it wouldn't be in the best interest of eastern canada that's for sure
00:11:52.520 it wouldn't be in the best interest of quebec and ontario and the maritimes who depend heavily on
00:11:59.620 alberta transfer payments in order to survive and in order to keep their quality of life and
00:12:03.820 and their whole socialist programs that they run over there it wouldn't benefit them it would
00:12:08.760 definitely benefit alberta to keep another 40 billion dollars here in this land but against
00:12:13.980 separation in Quebec twice. I've been around a while and I would fight against it in Alberta.
00:12:20.120 Get ready. You're going to have to. Tyson joins us from McDougal Centre tonight. Tyson we could
00:12:23.880 learn of a decision on a separation referendum this week. We certainly could Tara and that could
00:12:29.320 come potentially even tomorrow as that committee you heard from in that story will be meeting
00:12:33.060 tomorrow. As for the agenda it is posted but we're unsure actually what is on that agenda as it's
00:12:39.880 blank at this time the premier's office does say it still believes that this decision last week was
00:12:45.360 anti-democratic and uh it was incorrect in the law now daniel smith has also talked about using
00:12:51.080 the notwithstanding clause through all of this as well cabinet and caucus will be meeting this week
00:12:57.440 the premier's office saying that uh those discussions will happen with cabinet and
00:13:02.500 caucus as well that of course is when we might see coming out of those meetings whether or not
00:13:07.000 a separation question could be on the ballot come october if the premier is smart she's going to
00:13:11.620 call a referendum and she's going to use the real constitutional petition the one that complies with
00:13:19.260 the clarity act the real one the real stuff not the nothing burger from lucasuck if she's smart
00:13:26.620 and she wants to keep her job and she doesn't want to end up like jason kenny 2.0 the previous
00:13:32.880 disgraced premier so-called conservative fake conservative who ended up getting kicked out of
00:13:38.620 alberta by alberta patriots for being a fake conservative if she's smart she will listen 1.00
00:13:43.280 to her base she will listen to the people who put her in power and allow them to have their
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