CALGARY — About 35 people rallied today at a Calgary hotel ballroom to formally launch a campaign to convince Albertans in an upcoming referendum that it’s time to quit Canada.

The campaign is called “Let Alberta Decide.”

Organizers promise it will be a serious, fact-based initiative to persuade people that Alberta has the workforce, the financial wherewithal, and the energy and agriculture resources to go it alone.

The people behind it include Keith Wilson, a prominent separatist advocate who recently made a case for leaving Canada in debates with former Alberta premier Jason Kenney.

Premier Danielle Smith has announced that on Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on whether to stay in Alberta or hold a second referendum on whether to leave.

Smith says hundreds of thousands of Albertans have weighed in on the topic and deserve to be heard, while critics say she is behaving recklessly to appease separatist hardliners in her party.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2026.

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press