Alberta Referendum Rejects Starting Process to Leave Canada
In a referendum in Canada's Alberta province, about 76% of voters rejected a proposal to begin a process that could lead to a binding vote on leaving Canada. Only 23% backed the step, according to CBC projections.
Voters in Alberta, a western Canadian province, took part on Monday in a referendum on whether to start a process that could end in a binding public vote on leaving Canada. According to projections published by the broadcaster CBC on Tuesday, the proposal was rejected: 76% supported staying in Canada, while 23% backed starting the process. The result means the path toward separation is not being pursued for now. CBC said more than one million votes had been counted at that point.
Announcement of the results was delayed because more than 100 polling stations had to extend voting hours after opening late. More than 1.35 million people, or 43% of eligible voters, cast ballots in advance or used special voting arrangements.
Background
Alberta holds the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves and is regarded as a stronghold of conservative politics. Its political culture has long been closer to the American West than to most of Canada. Resentment toward the federal government in Ottawa runs deep, but it has traditionally not grown into broad support for independence.
The referendum was called by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who herself opposes independence but faced pressure from separatists within her United Conservative Party. She cited a poll showing that only 22% of the province's voters supported separation, which she said was still too high. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney noted that separatist parties have traditionally drawn only 1% or 2% of the vote, and that anger over Covid-19 restrictions helped mobilise activists who later joined the separatist movement.
Reactions
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had urged Albertans to vote for unity before the ballot. US President Donald Trump's trade war and his threats to make Canada the 51st US state have helped Carney win support in Alberta.
Voters were divided in their comments: 59-year-old Dave Malka of Edmonton criticised spending money on a referendum, while 35-year-old Jake Graham of Calgary hoped the result would settle the issue for a long time. Separatist leaders, however, said they had turned a marginal goal into a permanent movement that will not go away.
