Alberta to non-binding referendum on staying in Canada
Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta will move forward with a non-binding referendum in October on whether its residents want to remain part of Canada; This is a largely symbolic move that could still pose a major challenge for Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Premier Danielle Smith said the ballot question will not trigger secession, but will instead ask citizens whether the Alberta government should begin the legal process to hold a binding referendum on independence at a later date.
“It’s time to vote, understand the will of Albertans on this issue and move on,” Smith said in a televised speech Thursday evening.
As Carney tries to lead a united Canadian front in fighting U.S. tariffs and a renegotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement in the coming months, it promises divisiveness not just within Alberta but in Canada more broadly.
“As we take note of Premier Smith’s speech this evening, we remain focused on building a stronger Canada for everyone, in full partnership with Alberta and for the benefit of all Albertans and all Canadians,” said Domestic Trade Minister Dominic Leblanc.
The announcement follows months of campaigning by a group of separatists who want a referendum on seceding from Canada; polls have consistently found secession supported by only a third of voters in the state.
They suffered a setback on May 13 when a provincial court ruled in favor of First Nations’ bid to halt the referendum petition, a decision Smith vowed to appeal.
Stay Free Alberta spokesman Jeff Rath criticized Smith’s remarks, writing on social media that his question was “a referendum on whether to have a referendum” and ignoring Albertans who wanted to vote for independence.
Smith, who has been accused by critics of fueling separatism by halving the number of signatures required to launch a citizen-led referendum, said he clearly believes Alberta’s position is Canadian and will cast his vote to that effect.
“This is not the time to lose hope in our country,” she said, adding that her government had successfully lobbied Carney to roll back many of his predecessor’s environmental measures.
Many Albertans were angered by these policies, which they said undermined the province’s oil and gas industry.
The question of national unity in Canada is extremely sensitive; especially after Quebec’s 1995 referendum, which failed to support the province’s independence.
Separatists submitted a petition to Alberta Elections in May that they said had more than 300,000 signatures; That’s more than enough to trigger a vote to secede from Canada under provincial law.
