Alberta residents have voted to remain part of Canada in the province’s first-ever referendum on separation, in a much-needed win for Prime Minister Mark Carney as he attempts to unify the country amid an ongoing trade war with the United States.
With around 1.8 million votes counted, about 76 percent supported remaining in Canada, compared with 24 percent who backed beginning a process that could lead to separation, preliminary results showed on Tuesday.
The vote was not a direct referendum on independence but would have set oil-rich Alberta on a path towards a future vote on separation from Canada.
Carney welcomed the result and said Albertans had made a “clear choice” in favour of unity.
“They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other,” he said in a statement on X.
Jeffrey Rath, a top leader of the secessionist Alberta Prosperity Project, told reporters his push for an independent Alberta will “absolutely” continue, despite the result from Monday’s vote.
“We’ve learned a lot of lessons from this fight,” he said.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a conservative, said she voted against independence but called the referendum to settle an issue that has divided the province.
She has said a win for the federalists would close the secession question.
Alberta has the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves, and much of the secessionist momentum has been driven by anger over oil industry management.
Credit: aljazeera.com
