Danielle Smith has boxed herself into a corner

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promises not engage in another referendum. But promoters of separation within her party have not been so unequivocal. Some of those separatists, unhappy with Smith’s campaign to remain in Canada, are seeking to challenge her leadership.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, pictured on Jan. 29, 2026, at a first ministers' press conference in Ottawa. Many Albertans question why Smith's campaign for Canada was so tepid. The premier has been boxed into a corner by both sides, writes Sheila Copps.  The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion
BY SHEILA COPPS
October 26, 2026

OTTAWA—If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.  

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