Bell: There's unrest in Danielle Smith's UCP as referendum brawl hits final round - Calgary Herald

OTTAWA — Bill C-39 could make labour disputes longer and harder to resolve, union leaders warned MPs Thursday, undermining the stability the federal government says the legislation is intended to protect. Ahead of Thursday’s second reading vote, Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske joined Candace Rennick, National Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Tom Doran, President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, and CLC Executive Vice-President Marc-Édouard Joubert to urge MPs to remove the bill’s proposed restrictions on the right to strike.

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Premier Danielle Smith with Postmedia's Rick Bell in Calgary on October 16, 2026. WS screenshotPublished on: 16 Oct 2026, 11:28 pmLoading content, please wait...

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PIA’s Bradley Lafortune (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). Quite naturally, most of the focus by the groups hurriedly formed to support a remain-in-Canada vote in the separation referendum that has been aided, abetted and forced on Albertans by the United Conservative Party of Premier Danielle Smith has focused on getting out a strong “remain” vote on Oct. 19.

As part of her latest round of polling, Janet Brown sought to understand the factors driving support for separatism in advance of Alberta's Oct. 19 referendum. She found most support wasn’t found amongst people who live outside the major cities. It wasn’t the majority opinion of people with a certain level of education. Nor was it of those who work a certain type of job or make a certain amount of money. The group where the highest levels of support for Option 2 was found? Supporters of the United Conservative Party. “It is a hot potato for the UCP and Danielle Smith. It is that part of the voting public that is split on this issue,” she said. On Oct. 19, voters will be asked whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada, or whether the Government of Alberta should hold a second, binding referendum to separate from Canada. Follow all of our Alberta referendum coverageEverything you need to know about the 10 questions in Alberta's Oct. 19 referendumAmong those polled who said they would vote for the United Conservative Party, 53 per cent said they’d vote for the separation option. Forty per cent said they’d vote to stay in Canada.