Referendum in the wealthy province of Alberta, where people will be asked if they still want to be part of Canada
Canada's oil-rich province of Alberta will hold a non-binding referendum in October to find out whether its residents want to remain part of Canada, Premier Danielle Smith said on Thursday, a largely symbolic move that could still pose a major challenge to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The ballot question will not trigger secession, Smith said, but will ask residents whether the Alberta government should begin the legal process required by the Constitution to hold a binding referendum on independence at a later date.
“It's time to vote, to understand the will of Albertans on this issue and to move forward,” Smith said in a televised evening speech. She said it was no longer beneficial to prolong an “emotional and important” debate.
The October vote would mark the first time in Canadian history that a province outside of Quebec has publicly debated the issue of secession.
That is expected to be divisive not only in Alberta, but also more broadly in Canada as Carney tries to lead a united Canadian front in tackling US tariffs and the renegotiation of the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal in the coming months.
“As we take note of Premier Smith's speech tonight, we remain focused on building a stronger Canada for all, in full partnership with Alberta and for the benefit of all Albertans and all Canadians,” said Domestic Trade Minister Dominic Leblanc.
Separation is supported by only a third of voters
The announcement comes after months of campaigning by a vocal group of separatists who want a referendum on leaving Canada, despite polls that have consistently shown secession is supported by only about a third of the province's voters.
They suffered a setback last week when a provincial court ruled in favor of the First Nations' request to stop the referendum petition. But Smith vowed to appeal the judge's decision, saying it violates citizens' right to express their opinions on important issues.
Jeff Rath, a spokesman for the separatist group Stay Free Alberta, criticized Smith's statements, writing on social media that her decision is for “a referendum on holding a referendum” and ignores Albertans who want to vote on independence.
Smith, who has been accused of fanning the flames of separatism by halving the number of signatures needed to trigger a citizen-initiated referendum, said Thursday that she unequivocally believes Alberta's place is in Canada and will vote that way.
“Now is not the time to give up hope in our country,” she said, adding that her government had managed to convince Carney to reverse several of his predecessor's environmental measures.
Many Albertans were unhappy with the policies, which they said undermined the province's oil and gas industry.
