Lawyer says Alberta premier exploiting loophole with referendum site, wants ad ban

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith calls a referendum ‘the purest form of democracy’ and says the fall vote will be run by Elections Alberta.

EDMONTON — An Edmonton lawyer is calling on Elections Alberta to close a loophole allowing Premier Danielle Smith’s government to advertise in favour of her fall referendum on sweeping immigration reform.

Provincial law prohibits the government from advertising or publishing certain information related to a referendum if the vote is taking place alongside a general or municipal election.

Legislation passed last year saw the same rules be removed for stand-alone referendums similar to what Smith’s government has called for October.

Lawyer Avnish Nanda says it’s an unfair loophole that’s letting the government publish one-sided information in order to a secure a mandate for proposals he’s worried will demonize immigrants.

Nanda is calling on Elections Alberta to enforce the same advertising prohibition leading up to the vote, a move he says the agency has the power to do.

The government unveiled a new website for the referendum last week and it says the goal is to provide Albertans with information on what their vote would mean.

At least nine questions will be on the fall ballot, including proposals to charge non-permanent residents a “reasonable fee” for health care and education and instituting a one-year residency requirement for eligibility for some other social programs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press