On Monday, Alberta separatists announced that they had officially turned in more than 300,000 signatures in support of putting the referendum on the ballot, surpassing the roughly 178,000 needed for a citizen-led petition.
The Alberta separatist movement dates back decades, but has gained momentum in the past year, after the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, won Canada’s federal election.
If the proposal is put on Alberta’s ballot, the measure would ask voters the following question: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”
Why are separatists pushing to get the referendum on the ballot?
“By asserting control over its resources, laws, and policies, Alberta can chart a path towards a future that aligns with the aspirations and welfare of its people, ensuring a legacy of prosperity for generations to come,” the group said.
Many Albertans have slammed the federal Liberal government for blocking pipeline projects and canceling oil and gas projects. The province’s economy is largely driven by its oil and gas extraction, as well as mining and quarrying.
Last year, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the leader of the United Conservative Party, said that, if a citizen-led petition gathered the required number of signatures, a referendum on the province’s independence could be placed on the ballot.
What happens next?
Elections Alberta will need to verify the petition signatures. But that process can’t start until a judge issues a ruling in a legal challenge to the proposal. Filed by First Nations groups in Alberta, the lawsuit argues that the province breaking off from Canada would violate treaty rights.
What happens if the referendum passes?
Many political experts have said that they think it’s unlikely the referendum will pass even if it does get on the ballot. A poll done for CBC News last month found that only 27% of survey respondents said they would vote in support of splitting from Canada, while 67% said they would vote against the proposal.
Even if the referendum were to get on the ballot, and if it were to pass, the province would not immediately become independent. The Alberta Prosperity Project said on its website that the province would begin negotiations with the federal government and Indigenous peoples on the details of separation. Political experts have also said that Indigenous groups would likely file legal challenges against the move.
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