Advanced voting in Alberta referendum begins Tuesday with 'slippery' immigration questions
Former U of A chancellor Peggy Garritty warns that five immigration questions carry misleading assumptions, ahead of nine-day advance voting window.
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Advance voting in Alberta's October 19 referendum begins Tuesday, with the window running 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, October 17.
Peggy Garritty, former University of Alberta chancellor and a federal prosecutor, spoke to the Canadian Club of Edmonton this week representing Before You Vote — a group formed by organizers behind the Forever Canadian petition, which opposes separation.
Garritty called the referendum's five immigration questions "slippery," arguing they appear logical but rest on misleading assumptions about how Canada's immigration system works. "We're trying to fix a problem that's already being fixed," she said, citing recent data showing immigration has declined more than 105 per cent since the first quarter of 2025. Canada's immigration system prioritizes economic immigration, she noted, making many of the ballot's concerns redundant.
The referendum also includes four constitutional questions, including one on abolishing the Senate. Garritty emphasized that such a move would require unanimous consent from Parliament and other provinces — "almost impossible to imagine that any effort to abolish the senate would be successful."
Two of the immigration questions ask whether those without "Alberta-approved immigration status" should have access to social services limited or be required to pay a premium.
Garritty plans to vote no on all nine questions. On the broader separation question, she said: "Promises by the separatists amount to what I call magical thinking," citing recent studies from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and Government of Alberta that dispute notions of independent Alberta being more prosperous.
She also acknowledged Alberta has faced unfair treatment historically but cautioned against dwelling on old grievances: "This mentality of grievance has been fostered over decades by elected people, by others, as a way of promoting the province and trying to get leverage." Instead, Garritty said, "Alberta has a unique opportunity to lead Canada."
Elections Alberta has mailed information pamphlets on voting locations and provides an online tool to help voters find nearby polling stations.
What exactly are the five immigration and four constitutional questions on the ballot?
How are the immigration questions misleading, specifically, according to policy experts beyond Garritty?
What level of voter support does polling show for each question ahead of the vote?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When does advance voting begin in Alberta's referendum?
Advance voting begins on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, running from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Saturday, October 10, 2026.
How many questions are on Alberta's referendum ballot?
The referendum includes nine questions in total: five on immigration and four on constitutional matters, including one on abolishing the Senate.
What does Peggy Garritty say about Canada's immigration decline?
Peggy Garritty cited data showing immigration has declined more than 105 per cent since the first quarter of 2025, and argued that Canada's immigration system already prioritizes economic immigration, making many ballot concerns redundant.
