Dan Williams

I’ll be taking questions from the media following yesterday's province-wide address on Alberta’s October 2026 Referendum. twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Regarding yesterday’s speech by the Premier: 1. For those Albertans wanting a binding separation referendum in October; due to the recent court ruling, there is no legal way to hold a binding separation referendum this fall. If the simplified and binding stay/leave question had been put on the ballot it would have been struck down within a couple of weeks - and Elections Alberta would have been legally barred from including the question on the referendum in October entirely. It may take a year or more to appeal and reverse the judge’s erroneous decision, and until then, a binding referendum held by Elections Alberta is not legally or practically possible. You don’t have to agree with the court’s decision (I sure don’t) but that’s how our justice system works. 2. For those Albertans who don’t want a referendum at all; 700,000 Albertans signed a petition asking for a referendum on this issue and Premier Smith rightfully wants to get direction from all Albertans on this matter now - not 3 years from now. It’s time for Albertans to decide whether we want to spend time, expense and effort pursuing separation or whether Albertans want to remain, continue to work on undoing the last 10 years of horrendous Trudeau-era policies and fight for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada. We will find out on Oct 19. You will decide. Not politicians, social media clickbait farmers or media talking heads. You. That’s democracy and it’s a beautiful thing that we have it here. Again, the choice is simple. Either: 1. Vote to remain in Canada, put an end to this debate, and fight to make our province and country stronger and more unified; or 2. Vote to commence the necessary, albeit lengthy legal processes, appeals, and other steps needed to legally separate from Canada (including a binding referendum that complies with the Constitution). The choice is ours Alberta. You know where the Premier stands on this question. She made herself clear and gave her reasons why she believes Alberta remaining in Canada is worth supporting and fighting for. But what do Albertans want the next step to be? Let’s all vote on October 19, get marching orders from all Albertans and move forward with the result.

It was a pleasure to speak to the grade nines at La Crete Public School earlier this week. Thank you for the invitation!

Happy Catholic Education Week! 🎉 This year’s theme, “Anchored in Hope,” is a powerful reminder of the foundation Catholic schools provide to thousands of Alberta families. So grateful for our incredible Catholic education community. @ACSTA_News

Today I marched and had the honour of speaking at the March for Life. It is one of those days that reminds me why I got into public life. Not for the politics of it, but because I genuinely believe that how we treat the most vulnerable among us says everything about who we are as a society.

We were please to co-sign this letter with Minister @DanWilliamsAB calling for return-to-office work downtown for @CityofEdmonton employees in conjunction with @EdmontonChamber, @bomaedmonton, @RAEb2b, @NAIOPEdmonton and the Edmonton Construction Association

Great to take part in a fire pit discussion at the Edmonton Real Estate Forum! We talked about Edmonton, municipalities across the province, and how we can work together to build beautiful, livable communities for Albertans.

It was great meeting with Canmore Mayor, Sean Krausert. We had a productive conversation about his beautiful and growing community and had the opportunity to discuss how the province can partner with Canmore to tackle the specific hurdles they are facing.

Earlier this year, nearly 12,000 Alberta Public Service employees returned to in-person work. The evidence is clear: downtown recovery accelerates when workers are present. Daytime population drives foot traffic, retail sales, office absorption, and perceptions of safety, all of which strengthen Edmonton as a city and a place to live, work and raise a family. I am proud to stand alongside Edmonton's business community in this call to action. A coordinated effort between our two orders of government would mark a genuine turning point for Alberta's capital city. See the joint letter below: edmontonchamber.com/2026/05/11/pha…

UPDATE - WILDFIRE WWF017 - Whitecourt Forest Area Wildfire WWF017 was detected this afternoon near the West Ridge area, approximately 3.5 km southeast of Whitecourt and 1 km from Highway 43. It is currently estimated at 80 hectares and burning out of control. Wind conditions are pushing the fire east, away from the Town of Whitecourt, it has remained south of Highway 43. Alberta Wildfire is responding alongside Woodlands County, Yellowhead County, Lac Ste. Anne County, and the Town of Whitecourt Fire Department. Crews are working closely with municipal partners to share wildfire behaviour information and ensure a coordinated response. We have significant resources on the ground and in the air fighting this fire including firefighters, helicopters, heavy equipment, and airtankers. Fire behaviour has been extreme, and suppression efforts will continue through the night. Night-vision equipped helicopters have been requested for the overnight period when cooler conditions are expected to reduce fire behaviour. Woodlands County has issued an Evacuation Order for areas east of Range Road 114 and south of Highway 43, including the West Ridge subdivision. There is no Evacuation Order or Advisory in place for the Town of Whitecourt at this time. The Allan and Jean Millar Centre in Whitecourt is open as an Evacuation Reception Centre for those displaced from Woodlands County. Highway 43 east of Whitecourt remains open. Expect emergency vehicles, increased traffic, reduced visibility from smoke, and a speed reduction to 80 km/h. Smoke may impact air quality in the region. Residents with health conditions, seniors, children, pregnant women, and those who work outdoors should take precautions. If you are not under an evacuation order, please ensure you are stay informed with up to date information. Make sure your family has an emergency plan, keep a go-bag packed at home and in your vehicle, and stay informed through official channels. Tips and checklists are available at alberta.ca/emergency-prep… For the latest information on this wildfire, visit alberta.ca/wildfire-status for fire status updates, alberta.ca/alberta-emerge… for emergency alerts and evacuation orders, and 511.alberta.ca for road and travel conditions. Updated information can also be found on the ABWildfire and Alberta Emergency Alerts apps.

It was wonderful to speak at the Alberta Christian Leadership Summit and to be joined by so many of my colleagues and leaders from across Alberta. From caring for the vulnerable to serving others with compassion and faith, your work reflects the values that help make this province strong and free. And I was proud to share how those same values continue to guide our government.

Congratulations to Justice Louise Arbour on her selection as Canada's next Governor General. A remarkable record of service to this country, from the Supreme Court to the international stage. On behalf of the people of Peace River, I wish her well in her new role as the King's representative in our great nation.

I had the pleasure of joining Minister @dtloewen and Bertie Beaver, in Sturgeon County to tour one of the many incredible bases across our province where our brave firefighters gear up to protect Alberta's lands and communities. This year we are renewing 500k in fire service training grants that will be sent to municipalities across our province to help train the men and women that keep us safe during fire season.

The work being done to protect our communities before fire season arrives is both comprehensive and commendable. Our Municipal Aid Incentive Pilot is building stronger partnerships between provincial and local responders, making sure that when emergencies arise, every level of government is equipped, aligned, and ready to act. On top of that, our investment into new aerial bombers means we have the aerial firepower and response capability to meet this season head on. These are not small commitments. They represent a serious, long-term approach to keeping our communities safe in the face of increasingly severe wildfire conditions. We owe it to Albertans to ensure every measure is in place, and that work is well underway.

I would like to congratulate @Poulin_Samuel on his appointment as Quebec's new Minister of Municipal Affairs! Wishing you great success in this important role. Félicitations à Samuel Poulin sur son assermentation comme nouveau ministre des Affaires municipales du Québec! On vous souhaite beaucoup de succès dans ce rôle important.

April 21 marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her late Majesty devoted more than seven decades to public service, including 70 years as Canada’s Monarch; the longest reign in Canadian history.

Appreciated the warm welcome from Minister Dan Williams and the visit to the Legislature. In my time in elected office, I’ve worked with many different municipal ministers. Minister Williams very clearly understands our challenges and opportunities. Grateful for his leadership and partnership.

Last night I stopped by North Peace Applied Research Association’s (NPARA) Farmer Appreciation Night at the Battle River Ag Hall. I know farmers are eager for the snow to melt and seeding to get underway and producers are in the midst of calving season. Wishing all farmers a successful year!

Today I had an excellent and productive meeting with @JeromyYYC, we talked about affordability, regional collaboration and the mayor’s focus on ensuring Calgary has stable access to clean water.

Had a blast with @bildedmonton and the @UAlberta curling team this morning. Had some conversations about development, getting shovels in the ground and stones in the house 🥌