Alberta Premier Danielle Smith scheduled a non-binding vote for October 19 to determine if the province should pursue constitutional steps toward separation.The referendum will ask voters if the government should initiate the legal process required to eventually hold a binding vote on independence.This announcement follows a court ruling that blocked a previous citizen petition and comes after significant pressure from separatist advocacy groups.Federal representatives stated that any future separation effort must strictly follow the 1998
Supreme Court of Canada decision regarding national unity.