Smith will have to be very clear on that question before any vote is held. Would this be a binding vote, or just another of the UCP’s ingenious ways to let people blow off steam?

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The question to Premier Danielle Smith was as blunt as I could make it.

If Albertans vote “yes” to separation in a referendum, would she proceed to pull Alberta out of Canada?

The premier did not say no. Neither did she say yes.

“Until I see an actual question with 177,000 signatures of Albertans that are supportive of it, it’s difficult for me to know what that looks like,” she said at Tuesday’s news conference.

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“I did say (Monday) in my commentary that I will respect the wishes of Albertans, and at the moment, they’re a bit undefined about what it is Albertans want to do.

“I think if an election were held today, it (Alberta independence) would get about 30 per cent support.

“So that’s why I want to make sure that those numbers do not get higher and . . . end up going lower because we’re successful in negotiating a new arrangement with Canada.”

Smith is setting up the referendum idea as a pressure valve for angry Albertans. She’ll let them get signatures while she tries to get a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Her personal view is clear — she’s no separatist, yet. She seems to follow the Free Alberta Strategy that sees independence as a last resort.

But her referendum vote could be the best thing that ever happened to Alberta separatism.

The signature drive will motivate our separatists to organize, raise money and work hard. They’ll pick up sympathizers along the way. They have Smith’s full approval to give it a try.

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