Premier Danielle Smith’s separation referendum is important, no doubt of that. But is it legitimate?

The premier and her UCP didn’t mention such a referendum in the 2023 election.

Not a hint. Never a whiff.

The theme then was sovereignty within a united Canada, a term with its own heavy load of ambiguity.

In my view, the UCP has no democratic authority to propose a vote on separation.

Yet, we face exactly that. Albertans will vote Oct. 19 on whether they want to stay in Canada or advance to a full referendum on separating.

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The UCP argues that referendums are enabled by their direct democracy law.

That law now produces a vote that the vast majority of Albertans never wanted or expected.

Ironically, petitioning citizens did not produce the questions that will be on the ballot.

The separatist question fell afoul of the courts. The government had to replace it with one of its own.

This citizen democracy came straight out of Smith’s cabinet.

But the original sin goes........

© Calgary Herald