Alberta voters reject a move toward independence in referendum backing Canadian unity
EDMONTON, Alberta —
asserted
voters → reject → unity
Voters in Canada's oil-rich province of Alberta have rejected a proposal to begin a process toward independence, results showed early Tuesday, delivering a victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney and supporters of Canadian unity amid U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and annexation threats.
asserted
results → reject → war
The vote was not a direct referendum on independence but would have set oil-rich Alberta on a path toward a future vote on separation from Canada.
asserted
vote → set → Canada
With more than 1 million votes counted, about 76% supported remaining in Canada, compared with 23% who backed beginning a process that could lead to separation.
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that → count → separation
We are a solid country that's united from coast to coast to coast," Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Alberta deputy premier who led the Forever Canadian campaign against separation, told supporters.
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who → unite → supporters
Results were delayed after late openings forced more than 100 polling stations to extend voting hours Monday.
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openings → delay → hours
More than 1.35 million Albertans, or 43% of eligible voters, cast advance or special ballots.
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Albertans → cast → ballots
Albertans were deciding whether to remain in Canada or begin a legal process that could have lead to a second vote on separation.
uncertain
that → decide → separation
Alberta, home to the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, is cowboy country and a conservative stronghold whose political culture has long had more in common with the American West than much of Canada.
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culture → prove → Canada
Resentment toward Ottawa runs deep, but has not traditionally translated into widespread support for independence.
asserted
Resentment → run → independence
Dustin Degenhardt, a Wainwright voter, said Albertans have long been mistreated by Ottawa.
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Albertans → say → Ottawa
"Alberta has essentially been treated as, you know, a colony," he said after voting Monday.
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he → treat → colony
"They want to take and take and take from us and not return anything."
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They → want → anything
Taylor MacIsaac, another Wainwright voter, backed separation.
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MacIsaac → back → separation
"I think it'll be good for Alberta to separate personally, as a very conservative individual that grew up in rural Alberta," she said.
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she → think → Alberta
Dave Malka, 59, of Edmonton, criticized spending money on a "referendum on a referendum" rather than health care.
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Malka → criticize → referendum
With Trump threatening Canada, Malka said, "It seems to be happening at the absolute worst time when we should be united; instead we're fighting among ourselves."
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we → threaten → ourselves
Jake Graham, 35, of Calgary, attended a Carney rally wearing maple leaf pants and a Canada hockey jacket.
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Graham → attend → pants
He hopes the vote ends the debate.
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vote → hop → debate
"I hope this squashes this for a long time to come and that it's clear and decisive, that these grumblings disappear for a while and we can be a united Canada," he said.
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he → hope → while
Despite the proposal's apparent failure, separatist leaders have said they turned a fringe cause into a movement that will not disappear.
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that → say → movement
Carney earlier urged Albertans to deliver a decisive vote for unity.
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Carney → urge → unity
"Vote like Canada's future depends on it because it does," he told a rally Friday in Edmonton, where he grew up.
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he → vote → Edmonton
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party, even though she opposes independence.
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she → call → independence
She cited a poll showing just 22% support for separation, a figure she said was still too high.
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she → cite → separation
Separatist parties traditionally attracted only 1% or 2% of the vote, former Premier Jason Kenney said.
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Kenney → attract → vote
Anger over COVID-19 restrictions helped mobilize activists who later embraced the separatist movement, he said.
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he → help → movement
Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state have helped Carney rally support in Alberta, where Liberal prime ministers have historically been unpopular.
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ministers → make → Alberta
Separatist advocate Jeff Rath said he would be thrilled if 30% of Albertans voted to begin the separation process.
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% → say → process
He wants Smith ousted as leader of her governing United Conservative Party and said the party could splinter, potentially creating a new pro-independence party.
uncertain
party → want → party
The Aporia
