Referendums are one of the most direct expressions of democracy.
Former NDP MP Charlie Angus is sounding the alarm over Alberta's upcoming referendum, calling it Canada's "Brexit summer" and warning that those charged with protecting democracy are "asleep at the switch."
But here's the irony: the thing Angus is warning about is a vote.
Angus: It's the 10th anniversary of Brexit. Things haven't gone well ... This is something Canada needs to pay attention to because we are in our Brexit summer with Danielle Smith's upcoming referendum in Alberta. And I have to say that I am very concerned that those whose job it… pic.twitter.com/N34XKYQUlq
— MeidasClips (@MeidasClips) June 28, 2026
Referendums are one of the most direct expressions of democracy. Canadians accepted two Quebec sovereignty referendums in 1980 and 1995 without claiming that asking people to vote was somehow anti-democratic. If Quebecers could be trusted with a referendum, why can't Albertans?
The October vote is not a unilateral declaration of independence. It is a democratic process that allows Albertans to express their views on the province's future and potentially begin a longer constitutional conversation. Even Prime Minister Mark Carney has acknowledged that the referendum itself is non-binding.
"Danielle Smith, she's no David Cameron. She's a lot more like Nigel Farage. She has pandered and built her political career working to the interests of the extremists and the separatists."
— MeidasClips (@MeidasClips) June 28, 2026
Charlie Angus points to several red flags and lessons from Brexit as Alberta prepares for… pic.twitter.com/x258taIwAh
Angus is hardly a neutral observer. He spent more than two decades as an NDP MP and now appears regularly with Meidas Canada, the Canadian arm of the U.S.-based MeidasTouch network.
That network recently received a significant investment from Soros Fund Management, according to Bloomberg reporting, making the anti-referendum messaging all the more political.
Whether Albertans ultimately vote to stay or leave is beside the point. The democratic principle at stake is whether they should be allowed to have a say at all.
Federalists insist Alberta belongs in Canada. If that's true, they should make their case to voters and trust Albertans to decide.
Calling a referendum a threat to democracy because people might vote the "wrong" way isn't a defence of democracy. It's a lack of faith in it.
Signup
The legacy media is counting on one thing: that you'll see the false headline and never see the correction. Don't let them get away with it.
Sign up for email updates from Alberta Fact Check and we'll send every new fact check straight to you the moment it's published. You'll always know what was said, who said it, and exactly where they got it wrong. It's free, it takes ten seconds, and it's the easiest way to stay one step ahead of the spin.