Alberta is set to hold a referendum asking voters if they wish to secede from Canada, with some residents even supporting the idea of becoming America’s 51st state.
Alberta, known as “Canada’s Texas” for its oil-rich economy and conservative-leaning politics, has long felt used by the rest of the country, which gobbles up its wealth in the form of taxes but provides little in return.
President Donald Trump’s regular quips of bringing Canada into U.S. statehood, coupled with the election of yet another left-wing prime minister in Mark Carney, has given a boost to a small but motivated group of secessionists in the province.
The referendum to secede from Canada will be held in 2026 if the petition manages to obtain the required number of signatures, and while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she prefers to keep Canada together, she will honor the will of the voters.
“Should Ottawa, for whatever reason, continue to attack our province as they have done over the last decade, ultimately that will be for Albertans to decide,” she said. “I will accept their judgment.”
Smith’s United Conservative government this month introduced legislation less than 24 hours after Carney’s election that, if passed, would lower the threshold petitions need to initiate a provincial referendum.
Such reforms included lowering the signatures of eligible voters to 10% down from 20%, and applicants would now have 120 days to collect the necessary signatures down from 90.
“The federal government has taken hostile actions against Alberta and against the Constitution and against our right to develop our resources,” Smith said while promoting the bill and listing nine energy laws she wanted changed to “reset” Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa.
Bob Gablehaus, a retired government worker, told the New York Times he will vote for the movement.
“If there was a referendum on it, I would not hesitate to say separation,” he said. “I don’t like the way the liberals treat western Canada. I think it’s unfair.”
In an April poll just before Carney’s election, about 30% of voters in Alberta and Saskatchewan said they would support leaving Canada. The survey also noted that only 25% of residents feel respected by the rest of country, half the national average.
While only a third of the providence currently supports succession, numbers can change come referendum day, as Britain experienced in 2016 with Brexit when hours before results were tallied betting markets gave “Remain” an 88% chance.
Dennis Modry, a retired surgeon and volunteer for a referendum campaign, called the Alberta Prosperity Project, said it has gathered about 240,000 signatures.
“It’s a very serious turning point,” he said.
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