Referendum: Canada: Province of Alberta votes on possible secession

The Canadian province of Alberta is oil-rich and conservative. There has been a small independence movement there for a long time. Now there is a referendum. The polls seem clear.

The province of Alberta votes on a possible secession from Canada. (Archive image) Photo: Jeff Mcintosh/Canadian Press via ZUMA Press/dpa

Edmonton. The residents of the oil-rich province of Alberta can vote today in a referendum on a possible path towards secession from Canada, which a minority has repeatedly called for. Voters should decide whether their province should remain part of Canada or whether a process should be initiated that leads to a legally binding further referendum on secession.

In recent surveys, a large majority was in favor of remaining part of Canada - around 70 percent. Around 20 percent spoke out against it. The rest were undecided. Anyone who wanted to could cast their vote by letter or in person in advance.

Province is famous for national parks in the Rocky Mountains

The Canadian province of Alberta, with around five million inhabitants, is located in the west of the second largest country in the world in terms of area and is particularly popular with tourists for its national parks in the Rocky Mountains. The majority of residents live in the metropolises of Edmonton and Calgary.

A movement calling for secession from Canada for cultural and economic reasons, among other things, has been around for a long time in the province, which is considered to be very conservative. Some representatives of the oil industry, for example, feel constrained by environmental regulations. Many demonstrators who protested against restrictions and vaccination regulations during the corona pandemic later joined the independence movement.

Although the movement was always a minority, it was able to persuade Alberta's Conservative Prime Minister Danielle Smith to call the referendum. However, Smith always spoke out in favor of remaining part of Canada.

Prime Minister Carney against secession: “Canada works”

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has also repeatedly spoken out clearly against secession. “Canada works,” Carney recently said at an event in the province. "Generations of Albertans have helped build this country. It's yours. It's ours. And it's worth fighting for."

Both of the country's major political parties have also repeatedly spoken out clearly against secession. However, support for the independence movement came from the US government of US President Donald Trump.

Trump is flirting with Canada as the 51st state of the USA

The USA and Canada are currently in a deadlocked trade dispute that has recently escalated again. US President Trump had repeatedly threatened Canada and flirted with the fact that the neighboring country could become the 51st state of the USA. Canada has to counter this and that can only be done together, said Prime Minister Carney. “We have to be strong and together we are stronger.”

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