Alberta Premier Danielle Smith took questions from reporters on Wednesday for the first time since Monday's referendum, in which voters decisively rejected a proposal to begin the legal process toward a later, binding vote on separation from Canada.
Unofficial results on the separation question showed roughly three-quarters of voters backing the option to remain a province in Canada. CBC News projected the remain victory on Monday night, and early Elections Alberta counts showed 941,204 votes for remaining against 288,259 for starting the separation process, out of 1,229,463 valid votes counted at that stage.
Smith, who called the referendum while personally opposing separation, has said she will respect the result and will not hold another separation referendum while she remains premier. She has described the outcome as a reset with Ottawa, while insisting Alberta will keep pressing its concerns — including the other nine referendum questions on immigration and provincial powers, whose counts are still being finalized ahead of official results scheduled for October 29.
Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the result as a show of national unity. Opposition voices in Alberta, including NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, said the vote showed Albertans are proud Canadians, while Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe urged Ottawa to build on the result with deeper provincial co-operation.
