The Numbers: Will Alberta's Referendum Pit Conservatives vs. Conservatives?
The country holds its breath as the in-fighting among Conservatives in Alberta begins.
Premier Danielle Smith has added a question on Alberta separation to the October 19, 2026, referendum ballot, a move that will have repercussions for the country and the province.
But is it primarily a debate being held amongst the supporters of her own party?
This week on The Numbers, we discuss what the polls suggest could be the motivations behind Smith’s referendum push, as well as what it could mean for the future of the United Conservative Party — and Pierre Poilievre’s federal Conservatives, too.
We also chat about the latest federal polls and what they say about support for the Liberals after what looked like a dip last week.
Then, we break down new polls out of Ontario and Nova Scotia and briefly chat about this weekend’s B.C. Conservative leadership race. Finally, Philippe has a few trivia questions about past referendums in Canada.
You can watch the episode on YouTube, which features a long cameo of Eric’s cat just above his shoulder :
… or listen to the episode on your favourite platform:
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