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Preston Manning, former federal opposition leader and founder of the Reform Party, expressed confusion over opinions outside Alberta that label Premier Danielle Smith as anti-Canada due to her advocacy for a strong provincial identity within the country. At an event promoting a virtual forum he is co-hosting on September 19, Manning highlighted Smith’s long-standing support for a united Canada while also addressing the upcoming October 19 referendum in Alberta, which includes questions about potential separation and constitutional issues related to immigration and provincial sovereignty.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Claims extracted
14
claim-shaped sentences
Uncertain
0%
0 of 14 hedged
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject
Correction & hedging signals
56.6
corrections and hedging in what we collected;
not a measure of accuracy
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Narrative spread
1
articles carrying this framing
Story summary
Preston Manning, a former federal opposition leader and founder of the Reform Party, expressed confusion over opinions that label Danielle Smith, Alberta's Premier, as anti-Canada or separatist. Despite polls outside Alberta suggesting such views, Manning highlighted Smith’s long-standing support for a strong Alberta within Canada. He announced that Smith would speak at a virtual two-day forum he is co-hosting next week, where she will discuss Alberta's continued growth and sovereignty as part of Canada. Smith has scheduled a referendum for October 19 to decide whether Alberta should remain in Canada or pursue another binding referendum on separation. Manning himself emerged from voter dissatisfaction with Ottawa’s perceived neglect of Western Canada during the late 1980s, founding the Reform Party in response.
Written for “Preston Manning On Danielle Smith” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.30 for article 14556 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-17
Conservative elder statesman Preston Manning says he’s baffled some view Alberta Premier Danielle Smith as anti-Canada given her vocal support of Confederation.
asserted
some → say → Confederation
Manning says he seen opinion polls outside Alberta that suggest that many see her as a separatist.
asserted
many → say → separatist
But he says, for years, there has been no one more vocal in speaking out for a strong Alberta and a united Canada.
asserted
he → say → Alberta
He says Canadians will get a renewed look at Smith when she speaks at a virtual two-day forum he is co-hosting next week.
asserted
he → say → forum
He said Smith will discuss Alberta continuing to grow as a strong and sovereign province within Canada.
asserted
Alberta → say → Canada
Smith has called a referendum for Oct. 19 on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or whether it’s time to hold a second, binding referendum on starting the legal process to separate.
asserted
it → call → process
Manning, who is 84, is the former federal opposition leader and founder of the Reform Party — a political movement in Western Canada that grew out of voter dissatisfaction with Ottawa and the perceived lack of attention that was being paid to the west in the late 1980s.
asserted
that → grow → 1980s
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He made his comments Wednesday at an event to promote the upcoming forum, which is titled “Alberta and the West Assembly” and begins Sept. 19.
asserted
which → get → forum
The event will hear from groups for and against secession and is meant to inform Alberta voters looking for information the referendum.
asserted
event → hear → information
The separation question is one of 10 Albertans will vote on.
asserted
Albertans → vote → 10
The other nine focus on immigration and the Constitution.
asserted
nine → focus → immigration
Smith called the referendum earlier this year.
asserted
Smith → call → referendum
She has said enough Albertans now view separation as a legitimate response to federal interference in provincial affairs that it’s time to put the issue to rest once and for all in a vote.
asserted
it → say → vote
Critics, including the Opposition NDP, say Smith is inflating and legitimizing the grievances of a small sliver of discontented Albertans in order to mollify hardline separatists in her United Conservative party.
asserted
Smith → include → party
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