More than half of Canadians say Alberta separation should be taken seriously: poll

National Post

08-05-2025

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These dire views of national unity are held most strongly by those who voted for Pierre Poilievre's Conservative Party of Canada. Just 17 per cent of Conservative voters believe Carney will improve national unity. Quebecers who voted for the Bloc Québécois are similarly skeptical, with 21 per cent saying national unity will be improved. However, New Democrats (41 per cent) and Liberals (56 per cent) believe the new government will do good things on the national unity question.
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Conservative voters are also far more likely to be concerned about Alberta separatism, with almost 64 per cent saying it should be taken seriously. But Liberal voters (48 per cent) and NDP voters (47 per cent) are also concerned, while Bloc voters, at roughly 32 per cent, are the least worried.
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'We'll have to see what the political implications are of that, because some of this is going to be seen as leveraging this type of sentiment to shift political power or political influence in the country,' said Jedwab.
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There is a similar partisan divide when it comes to concerns about Quebec separation. Bloc voters, at almost 51 per cent, believe most strongly that it's a serious threat. Conservative voters are the most sanguine, at 36 per cent, while 44 per cent of New Democrats and 45 per cent of Liberal voters think it should be taken seriously.
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The majority of voters do not think there is a legitimate reason for either Quebec or Alberta to separate. Unsurprisingly, Alberta has the highest number of poll respondents (52 per cent) who think that Alberta has good reasons to go. But that view drops off sharply to 37 per cent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 34 per cent in Quebec, 32 per cent in Ontario and B.C., and 28 per cent in Atlantic Canada.
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Again, support varies widely by partisan affiliation. Fifty-eight per cent of Conservatives think Alberta has legitimate reasons to leave, while 33 per cent of Bloc voters think there are good reasons. Among progressive voters, support is lower: 19 per cent of Liberals see legitimate grievances, as do 18 per cent of New Democrats.
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The dynamics are similar with Quebec. Fifty-one per cent of those in La belle province think there are good reasons to leave Canada, but, again, support is limited elsewhere. Just 20 per cent of Atlantic Canadians think Quebec has legitimate reasons, as do 23 per cent of those in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and 25 per cent of those in B.C. Support is slightly higher in Ontario (30 per cent) and Alberta (32 per cent).
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Seventy-nine per cent of Bloc voters say the grievances are valid, compared to 34 per cent of Conservative voters and NDP voters, and 27 per cent of Liberals.
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