Politics · Canada · 8 hrs ago
Alberta UCP board candidates must pledge to respect vote to stay in Canada
Alberta voters rejected leaving Canada by a three-to-one margin in a referendum.
The United Conservative Party, led by Premier Danielle Smith, is asking candidates for party board positions to pledge to respect and abide by that result.
The pledge says candidates will follow Albertans’ majority decision on the referendum question.
Smith says party officials and candidates should support a pro-Canada position rather than advocate separation.
Some pro-independence candidates say they will sign the pledge while keeping their long-term views on independence.
One says he is willing to focus for now on seeking more provincial powers within Canada.
Smith says current board members and candidates in the provincial election will also be asked to make similar pledges.
The United Conservative Party is requiring candidates for its board to pledge to respect and abide by Albertans’ vote to remain in Canada.
The requirement follows a referendum in which voters rejected pursuing independence by a three-to-one margin.
Premier Danielle Smith says party candidates, board members and riding presidents are expected to abandon separatist advocacy or join another party.
Pro-independence activists seeking UCP board posts say they will sign the pledge but still support greater sovereignty or independence in the long term.
Some critics have called the declaration a heavy-handed loyalty pledge.
- Who
- The United Conservative Party and candidates for its board positions. Pro-independence activists are among those seeking posts.
- What
- Board candidates must sign a declaration to respect and abide by Albertans’ vote to stay in Canada.
- When
- The requirement was reported on October 27, 2026.
- Where
- Alberta, Canada.
- Why
- Premier Danielle Smith says the party should unite behind a pro-Canada position after voters rejected pursuing independence.
UCP leadership
Pro-independence advocates
Pledge
UCP leadership
The party requires board candidates to respect and abide by the referendum result.
Pro-independence advocates
Candidates say they will sign the declaration, respecting the democratic outcome.
Political goals
UCP leadership
Smith expects party officials to abandon separatist advocacy or join another party.
Pro-independence advocates
Some candidates say signing will not change their long-term support for independence or greater sovereignty.
Albertans voted by a three-to-one margin against pursuing an independence referendum.
Smith said current board members and people running in the provincial election would be asked to make similar pledges.
Pro-independence UCP board candidates told CBC they were willing to sign the declaration.
- Referendum result
- Voters rejected pursuing independence by a three-to-one margin
- Stay vote
- 75 per cent of voters chose to stay in Canada
- Declaration
- Candidates must recognize, respect and abide by the majority decision
- Chris Scott
- Seeking a UCP director post for central Alberta
- Jason Lavigne
- Seeking the party’s vice-president of policy and governance
2 sources
What people are saying
The expectation will be that everybody will pledge to not only respect but abide by what Albertans have told us,
My personal position on independence hasn't changed, but part of that position is acknowledging that there's a number of things that we can do within the current terms of Confederation,
Independence was the ideal outcome, and I would like to see more sovereignty if full sovereignty is not on the table,
Posts on X
Watching Danielle Smith and Rob Anderson run around trying to be all tough is pretty cute. "You must sign a loyalty pledge to Canada to run for the board of the party!" These are the actions of incredibly desperate people.