Transportation minister refuses to answer separation question

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Southern Alberta Newspapers

One of Premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet ministers evaded questions about how he plans to vote in the October referendum on whether Alberta should remain in Canada.

Despite multiple questions from reporters asking Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen how he will vote, he refused to offer a direct response at a recent Calgary news conference.

Instead, Dreeshen reiterated the importance of having a forum for public input on the province’s future within the federation.

“I think its very important that all Albertans, the five million of us, will be able to have their say and have their vote in October,” Dreeshen said. “And I think it’s important for Albertans to have that vote.”

Dreeshen has previously declined to clarify his stance at other unrelated press conferences.

Opposition leader Naheed Nenshi is framing Dreeshen’s refusal to clarify his stance as evidence the UCP government contains separatists.

“Every Alberta NDP MLA signed a pledge saying they would fight to stay in Canada,” he said in a statement. “Not one UCP MLA has done the same.”

Premier Danielle Smith’s office previously released a statement expressing that individual MLAs are entitled to embrace opinions on separation that contradict the UCP stance, which is that Alberta should remain in Canada after UCP MLA Jason Stephan wrote an op-ed encouraging Albertans to sign the separation petition in March.