Alberta says no to secession from Canada. Trump-backed separatists have been defeated

Alberta will remain part of Canada. With just over half of the votes counted, the results show that 76 per cent of residents have rejected the proposal for a further referendum to decide on independence. With exactly 50.01 per cent of the votes counted, the ‘remain’ camp has reached 1,086,733, whilst the ‘referendum’ camp stands at 338,459. This is a very clear ‘no’ to a separatist movement that was fuelled by discontent over the management of the province’s vast oil resources, and which was supported by Donald Trump. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the referendum had been held “at the worst possible time” and highlighted the need for national stability whilst the US President is waging a trade war against Canada and threatening annexation.

In Edmonton, the provincial capital, independence supporters followed the vote count in a restaurant where a sombre atmosphere prevailed in light of the result. However, Jeffrey Rath, a leading figure in the separatist organisation Alberta Prosperity Project, says the campaign will continue despite the defeat. “We have learnt many lessons from this campaign,” he told journalists. When asked about the future of the initiative, he stated that his commitment to an independent Alberta would continue “without a doubt”. Meanwhile, at a rally of supporters of national unity, also in Edmonton, a band performed to celebrate the result even before the projections were published. Thomas Lukaszuk, head of Forever Canadian, the group that led the campaign for Canadian unity across the province, highlighted the turnout of his supporters. “It was extraordinary to see the enthusiasm and determination of Canadians,” he said.

First Minister Danielle Smith, of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, voted against independence, but defended the decision to hold the referendum to resolve an issue that was dividing the province, arguing that a victory for supporters of national unity would put an end to the debate on secession.

Alberta has the fourth-largest proven oil reserves in the world. Much of the separatist momentum stemmed from discontent over the management of the oil industry and the federal government’s policies. Danielle Smith accused former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of indirectly fuelling the independence movement by seeking to limit oil production to promote his pro-climate agenda. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described the province as a “natural partner” for the United States. Elon Musk posted on the social media platform X this month, stating that Alberta “should secede”. Separatist leaders have also held meetings at the U.S. State Department and received advice from Republican politicians.

Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has been committed to improving relations between the province and Ottawa ever since he took office last year. The Prime Minister has worked with Danielle Smith to promote a new oil pipeline designed to export more bitumen from Alberta to overseas markets. The project had been considered unfeasible during Trudeau’s term in office.