Alberta Province to Hold Preliminary Referendum on Possible Secession from Canada
Public opinion polls show that the majority of Alberta residents would vote against secession.
Danielle Smith. Photo: Todd Korol/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Alberta will hold a referendum in October on whether the province should remain part of Canada or move to a second binding vote on secession, marking the first significant test of the country's unity in decades, the BBC writes.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Premier Danielle Smith after a citizen-led petition demanding secession gathered over 300,000 signatures earlier this year, while a separate petition to keep Alberta as part of the country collected over 400,000.
In the oil-rich province, a movement for independence is growing, based on a long-standing feeling that Alberta is undervalued by decisions made in Ottawa.
However, public opinion polls show that the majority of Alberta residents would vote against secession.
The provincial referendum is scheduled for October 19, the Premier announced.
Smith stated in a televised address that the question to be put to a vote this autumn is: "Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta initiate the legal procedure, required under the Constitution of Canada, to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether Alberta should secede from Canada?"
The Premier stated that she herself would vote for Alberta to remain part of Canada.
Alberta province is Canada's wealthiest province. Its area is 660,000 square kilometers, with a population of about 4.4 million people. The largest cities are Edmonton and Calgary.
"That is how I would vote in a referendum on secession," she said, adding that this is also the position of her government and caucus. However, she noted that she is "deeply concerned" by a court ruling in which a judge in Alberta dismissed a referendum petition after Indigenous groups claimed they were not properly consulted, violating their rights.
This halted the verification of signatures on the petition, leaving the possibility of a referendum in limbo.
"As Premier, I will not allow a legal error by one judge to silence the voices of hundreds of thousands of Albertans," said Danielle Smith. "The future of Alberta will be decided by Albertans, not by the courts."
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Comments
Адзін час была праграма "Alberta is calling" каб прыцягнуць людзей з іншых правінцый. Але зараз прыхільнікі сепаратызму таксама і супраць іміграцыі.
Незразумела, дык чаго ж вы хочаце? Больш людзей жыве ў правінцыі = больш чальцоў парламенту паедзе ў Атаву, каб вас дурнёў прадстаўляць.
Вы перабольшваеце, канечне колькасць насельніцтва паўплывае. Ў "элітных" Антарыё і Квэбеку тыя ж самыя 121000 чалавек на дэпутата, як і ў Альберце. Толькі ў зусім малых правінцыях менш, але яны не так моцна ўплываюць на выбары.
І нават калі так, то хіба разваліць краіну гэта добрае рашэнне?
Трэба тады пераглядаць колькасць дэпутатаў, а не аддзяляцца. Даніэль падымае гэтае пытанне?
Альберта таксама атрымоўвае фэдэральныя грошы - на іх пабудавалі Transmountain pipeline.
Ці вы маеце на ўвазе Equalization payments? Ну будзе ў вас кепска з грашыма - і вы атрымаеце.
З такой логікай можна дайсці да "Fort McMurray корміць усю Альберту - трэба аддзяляцца!"