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Here is the punchline to her news conference, quite literally the last comment she made after a deluge of questions about the mechanics, outcome, and consequences of a referendum to separate from Canada: 鈥淭here is no referendum question, there is no petition campaign. We haven’t even put the structure in place for the Elections Act. So, I don’t have answers to those questions, because until we see an actual active question and an active petition campaign, it really is just hypothetical.鈥�

Smith says she is not advocating for separation but if Albertans want a referendum,聽聽In a Machiavellian move the day after the federal election, Smith tabled changes to Alberta laws to make it much easier for citizens to hold a referendum in 2026.

But she could not or would not explain how this would play out. It鈥檚 all 鈥渉ypothetical.鈥�

One reporter asked that if Albertans did vote to separate, is separation even possible given the legal, technical and constitutional barriers, including聽?

Smith responded she didn鈥檛 want to prejudge negotiations with Prime Minister Mark Carney because he might successfully 鈥渞eset鈥� Ottawa鈥檚 relationship with Alberta.

When asked if she had given any thought to the potential negative reaction from First Nations when she began musing about separation, 鈥渉ypothetical鈥� was again the default reply: 鈥淚 guess I have to wait and see what kind of question comes forward from citizens before I would be able to make a judgment about whether or not it would impact rights.鈥�

Smith has said repeatedly she is not a separatist and wants Canada to work 鈥� but her patriotism comes with strings attached.聽

She outlined those in a TV/online聽聽afternoon where her four demands to the federal government include, 鈥淎lberta requires guaranteed corridor and port access to tidewater off the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic coasts for the international export of Alberta oil, gas, critical minerals and other resources in amounts supported by the free market, rather than by the dictates and whims of Ottawa.鈥�

Never mind what Canadians want, this is about Alberta.

She also demands Ottawa redesign the federal equalization program that Alberta has complained about for years.

Smith will be appointing a negotiating team to deal with the federal government and will then herself chair a travelling 鈥淎lberta Next鈥� panel to hear people鈥檚 gripes and complaints 鈥� no doubt, to her chagrin, that would include the majority of Albertans who聽聽and are griping and complaining about Smith wasting time on separatist talk.

Smith鈥檚 news conference was not aimed specifically at separation but as she said herself during the broadcast, 鈥淣ow, let鈥檚 talk about the elephant in the room 鈥� that being separation.鈥�

That is why virtually every question from reporters Tuesday afternoon was about separation 鈥� and that is just what Smith wants.

It is political theatrics. And this is one show Smith wants all Canadians to watch.

But there is something ominous at play here.

While Alberta鈥檚 Conservative premiers have a long history of inflaming rhetoric against federal Liberals, they always stopped short of pouring fuel on separatist talk.

In 2003, Premier Klein faced pressure from a separatist movement at his party鈥檚 annual general meeting but declared, 鈥淚 cannot honestly see myself saying, 鈥楬ere is a separation question and, dammit, unless you listen to us and unless we get our own way, unless you do this, unless you do that, we’re going to separate.鈥� I don’t first of all see myself doing that, and I don’t know how the feds would buy it.鈥�

Now, Smith is betting that if the federal government doesn鈥檛 buy it, Albertans will.

Or at least enough of them will to keep the separatist pot boiling so she can put her provincial problems on the backburner, including a $5 billion provincial budget deficit and a growing scandal involving provincial health care contracts.