Alberta Votes to Stay: Referendum Delivers a Landslide Verdict for Canada
Early projections show more than three in four voters chose to remain part of Canada, dealing a heavy blow to the province's separatist movement — though its leaders insist the fight is not over.
Alberta has voted to remain part of Canada, according to projections by broadcaster CBC News, in a nonbinding referendum that asked voters whether the province should stay in the federation or begin the legal process toward a binding vote on separation.
With early counts reported from more than 1,400 polling stations, roughly 76 percent of voters backed remaining in Canada, against about 24 percent who supported starting the separation process. Around 1.36 million residents cast ballots through advance and special voting alone — a turnout that underlines how deeply the question has divided the oil-rich western province.
The ballot carried ten questions in total, with the first nine touching on immigration and constitutional matters before the final, decisive question on Alberta's future. Federal officials in Ottawa had watched the vote closely, wary that even a strong separatist showing could embolden the movement and rattle investors.
Separatist campaigners conceded the numbers were not going their way but insisted the movement would outlast the defeat, pointing to frustration over federal energy and climate policy. For now, though, the message from Alberta's voters is unambiguous: the province is staying.
Source: Anadolu Agency / CBC News — TrendWire reports stories in its own words; facts should be confirmed against the original source.