Latest news with #AlbertaSeparatism
CBC
27-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Separatists say Alberta's culture is rooted in traditional values. Many say those values don't define them
Social Sharing Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said earlier this month that if Alberta were to separate from Canada, it would first have to define itself as a nation with a distinct culture. "I am not certain that oil and gas qualifies to define a culture," Blanchet quipped at a media conference. Alberta separatists are trying to make the case that Alberta, like Quebec, does have a culture that's distinct from the rest of Canada — one rooted in traditional conservative values. But recent polling, and many people living in Alberta, paint a more complicated picture. Many Albertans feel the separatists' definition of Alberta culture leaves them out of the conversation, and one researcher says that could be driving people away from the movement. Republican Party of Alberta leader Cameron Davies, who calls himself an Alberta nationalist, says Albertans prize family values and freedom from government intervention. He says Alberta's culture is driven by risk-taking, entrepreneurial spirit and resilience, dating back to its early settlers. He says Alberta conservatives are distinct from Eastern Canada, but acknowledges they have "a lot in common" with neighbouring Saskatchewan. "I would challenge you that a Doug Ford conservative is not a conservative from Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. We have very little in common," Davies told CBC News. Davies also takes many cultural positions similar to U.S. Republicans, such as eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies and taking education about sexual and gender diversity out of schools, and says he believes a "vast majority" of Albertans share these views. The Alberta Prosperity Project, the group driving a petition to force a separation referendum, has a section on its website outlining similar "cultural and identity factors" for leaving Canada. The party lists bilingualism among its cultural grievances, as well as, "The Federal Government's support of wokeness, cancel culture, critical race theory, the rewriting of history, and the tearing down of historical monuments." Albertans 'build community for themselves' But plenty of Albertans don't fall in line with those values. Rowan Morris, a transgender man living in Alberta's oil capital Fort McMurray, knows all about the risk-taking, entrepreneurial Alberta spirit, and mythos around building a better life through hard work and sacrifice. His parents moved their family to Fort McMurray from Nova Scotia when he was 14, and his dad took a job in the oilfield. He says that "sacrifice for good" is something that's inherently Albertan. "That also applies to newcomers to Canada. Also applies to Indigenous folks on this territory. It also applies to queer and trans people," he said. "What I see in Fort McMurray is people who move here have no friends or family, and build a community for themselves." That's about as far as his agreements with the separatists go. Morris says the talk of "family values" is not inclusive of all families, and the crusade against "wokeness" leaves many Albertans behind. He also finds the idea of separating from Canada disrespectful to the authority of Indigenous governance systems and values. "When we are contorting freedom into being something restrictive or something avoidant or punitive, that isn't truly freedom," he said. "I think the values that are Albertan, or what is Albertan culture, is a willingness to explore and a willingness to embrace the new and to challenge yourself. And those are things that I do see echoed in the root of what folks are talking about on this other side," he said, referring to the separatists, and adding that he feels their anger is misdirected. Morris believes Alberta does have a distinct culture, but he says it's part of a broader pan-Canadian one, rather than a separate national identity. Separatists are 'projecting their own values': researcher In many ways, Morris is not an outlier in today's Alberta. Jared Wesley, a political scientist at the University of Alberta who studies the province's political culture with his Common Ground research team, says the ideals expressed by separatist groups don't represent the average Albertan in 2025. "They're absolutely dead wrong, and they're projecting their own values on the rest of Alberta society," he said. Wesley and his team have interviewed thousands of Albertans. In an April 2024 article for Policy Options, a magazine from the Montreal-based Institute for Research on Public Policy, he noted that they found Albertans are, by and large, socially progressive and fiscally conservative — or, more specifically, tax-averse. "Alberta is one of those unique places right now where the broader political culture, who we see ourselves to be, just does not align with public opinion," he told CBC News. In surveying thousands of Alberta residents, researchers found that they often have a "distorted view" of their own political culture, believing their fellow citizens to be significantly more conservative than they actually are. The researchers noted that ultimately, those surveyed had an image of the "average Albertan" that doesn't match the actual demographics of the province. WATCH | Albertans discuss sovereignty: Alberta separatism is in the spotlight. Not everyone is sold on sovereignty 5 days ago Duration 8:11 Alberta is increasingly ethnically diverse. The province's 2021 census found that more than a quarter of Albertans identify as racialized, and noted that Alberta had the third highest population proportion of racialized groups in Canada behind Ontario and B.C. Additionally, just under seven per cent identify as Indigenous, which is the fourth largest proportion among provinces, behind Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. Wesley's research has found that Albertans identify strongly with both their province and their country. Even among separatists he spoke with, Wesley says fewer than half feel Alberta has its own distinct culture within Canada. In the survey, when Albertans were asked to select all the political identifications that applied to them, most chose at least two, with the most common being "progressive" and "conservative." And while the federal Conservatives won 63.5 per cent of Alberta's popular vote in April's federal election, the provincial NDP still captured 44 per cent of the popular vote in the 2023 provincial race, suggesting Albertans are anything but a conservative monolith. Wesley says he doesn't believe the leaders of the separatist movement truly think of Alberta that way, either. "The political strategy is to paint yourself as being far bigger than what you actually are, or your ideas as being far more popular," he said. "I mean, that's at the heart of politics." What polling reveals Recent Angus Reid polling suggests 19 per cent of Albertans would "definitely" vote to leave Canada if it were put to a referendum, while another 17 per cent are "leaning toward" wanting to leave. A majority, 52 per cent, said they would "definitely" vote to stay, with eight per cent "leaning toward" voting to stay. By perpetuating a narrow, traditional idea of what it means to be Albertan, Wesley says separatists are turning off a large portion of the province's population. He says the separatist movement may end up being a "flashpoint" where Albertans realize this disconnect between their public image and their true values. "A march towards the referendum is going to have people questioning, 'Who are we as Albertans?' " he said. "And I'm not sure the separatists are prepared for the answer that Albertans are going to give them." The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) released its own polling last week that pushes back against separatist narratives. The survey, done by polling firm Environics in April, found Albertans overwhelmingly support causes like raising the minimum wage, rent controls and price controls, as well as the full implementation of universal child care, pharmacare and dental care. In a statement, AFL president Gil McGowan said the poll was initially for in-house use, but the union decided to release it to counteract the public focus on separatism. "This polling is a rebuttal to right-wing stereotypes of Albertans," McGowan said. Young Conservative wants to bridge gap with separatists Some Conservatives in the province are also pushing back against separatism. Ahmed Ibrahim, 21, former president of the University of Lethbridge campus conservative club, spoke with CBC News over the phone while working in a canola field just northeast of Lethbridge, in southern Alberta. Ibrahim was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, and came to Alberta in 2023 to work in agriculture. "I came here for the Alberta advantage," he said, noting that the province has an opportunity to grow, and he feels that "growth is something everyone deserves." Still, Ibrahim says he doesn't view Alberta as a separate nation, and believes strongly in the idea and principle of Canada. Though separatists are a minority in the Conservative movement, he notes that "they have the right to be listened to."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More than half of Canadians say they understand Alberta separatism: poll
OTTAWA — A new poll suggests more than half of Canadians say they understand why Alberta might want to split from Canada — even if almost two-thirds say they don't want that to happen. The Leger survey, which polled 1,537 Canadians between May 16 and 18, suggests that 55 per cent of Canadians understand Albertans' desire for independence. Because the poll was conducted online, it can't be assigned a margin of error. Seventy per cent of Albertans said they understand why their province might want to become an independent country. The poll suggests 63 per cent of men say they grasp what's driving Alberta separatism, while 48 per cent of women report the same. While 77 per cent of Conservative voters said they understand the reasons behind the separatism movement, only 48 per cent of Liberal supporters responded the same way. Sébastien Dallaire, Leger's executive vice-president for Eastern Canada, said the survey suggests that there's a "level of empathy" for Albertans. He added Canadians likely don't think it's a good idea for the province to separate, given the dire consequences it would have for the entire country. "If you're in B.C., it means the country will be split in half from your perspective," Dallaire said. "If one province leaves, then it may open up, you know, more discussion about, of course, Quebec possibly also wanting to do the same, or other provinces." Only 26 per cent of respondents said they support the idea of Alberta becoming an independent country, with 12 per cent saying they "strongly" support it and 15 per cent saying they support it "somewhat." The numbers in the polling don't always match up due to rounding. Sixty-two per cent of respondents said they're opposed, with 50 per cent saying they're "strongly" opposed, 13 per cent saying they are somewhat opposed and 11 per cent saying they "don't know." Among respondents who support the province of Alberta becoming a country, 76 per cent say they understand why Alberta might want to become independent. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government introduced a bill earlier this month to make it easier to launch a citizen-initiated referendum — including one on separating from Canada. Smith has pointed to growing alienation in her province and frustration with Ottawa and has argued that those wanting to separate "are not fringe voices." While she said she does not support separating from Canada, Smith is hoping to negotiate a new deal for the province with Prime Minister Mark Carney. She has said repeatedly that Albertans are frustrated that the province's natural resources are landlocked and that its oil and gas exports are sold almost exclusively to the United States at a cut rate. Almost half of respondents in Alberta — 47 per cent — said they support separation. Just 29 per cent of Quebecers, 22 per cent of Ontarians and 14 per cent of people in B.C. said they think Alberta should split. Though the poll's sample size for the two provinces was small, 30 per cent of people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan said they supported the idea. At 43 per cent, Conservative supporters were far more open to the idea of separation than Liberal supporters, at only 12 per cent. Dallaire said the results of the recent federal election "did not satisfy everybody." He also said the poll suggests that Albertans are very divided on the issue of separation. "We see that there is significant support for at least trying to shake things up," he said, adding that previous referendums in Quebec have shown that numbers tend to move quite a bit once people learn the facts about what separation would mean. "Is this really a hard level of support? At this time, probably not, but it's a clear indication that there's a potential for the movement to really gain a strong foothold in the province and it's something to really keep an eye on," he said. "There's a potential for this to grow even stronger, depending on what happens next." The polling industry's professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. — With files from Sarah Ritchie This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
National Post
25-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
On Alberta separatism, just over half of Canadians say they understand the desire: poll
Article content A new poll suggests more than half of Canadians say they understand why Alberta might want to split from Canada — even if almost two-thirds say they don't want that to happen. Article content Article content The Leger survey, which polled 1,537 Canadians between May 16 and 18, suggests that 55 per cent of Canadians understand Albertans' desire for independence. Article content Because the poll was conducted online, it can't be assigned a margin of error. Article content Seventy per cent of Albertans said they understand why their province might want to become an independent country. Article content The poll suggests 63 per cent of men say they grasp what's driving Alberta separatism, while 48 per cent of women report the same. Article content While 77 per cent of Conservative voters said they understand the reasons behind the separatism movement, only 48 per cent of Liberal supporters responded the same way. Article content Sebastien Dallaire, Leger's executive vice-president for Eastern Canada, said the survey suggests that there's a 'level of empathy' for Albertans. He added Canadians likely don't think it's a good idea for the province to separate, given the dire consequences it would have for the entire country. Article content 'If you're in B.C., it means the country will be split in half from your perspective,' Dallaire said. 'If one province leaves, then it may open up, you know, more discussion about, of course, Quebec possibly also wanting to do the same, or other provinces.' Article content Only 26 per cent of respondents said they support the idea of Alberta becoming an independent country, with 12 per cent saying they 'strongly' support it and 15 per cent saying they support it 'somewhat.' Article content The numbers in the polling don't always match up due to rounding. Article content Sixty-two per cent of respondents said they're opposed, with 50 per cent saying they're 'strongly' opposed, 13 per cent saying they are somewhat opposed and 11 per cent saying they 'don't know.' Article content Among respondents who support the province of Alberta becoming a country, 76 per cent say they understand why Alberta might want to become independent. Article content Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government introduced a bill earlier this month to make it easier to launch a citizen-initiated referendum — including one on separating from Canada. Article content Smith has pointed to growing alienation in her province and frustration with Ottawa and has argued that those wanting to separate 'are not fringe voices.' Article content While she said she does not support separating from Canada, Smith is hoping to negotiate a new deal for the province with Prime Minister Mark Carney. She has said repeatedly that Albertans are frustrated that the province's natural resources are landlocked and that its oil and gas exports are sold almost exclusively to the United States at a cut rate. Article content Almost half of respondents in Alberta — 47 per cent — said they support separation. Article content Just 29 per cent of Quebecers, 22 per cent of Ontarians and 14 per cent of people in B.C. said they think Alberta should split. Though the poll's sample size for the two provinces was small, 30 per cent of people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan said they supported the idea. Article content At 43 per cent, Conservative supporters were far more open to the idea of separation than Liberal supporters, at only 12 per cent. Article content Dallaire said the results of the recent federal election 'did not satisfy everybody.' Article content He also said the poll suggests that Albertans are very divided on the issue of separation. Article content 'We see that there is significant support for at least trying to shake things up,' he said, adding that previous referendums in Quebec have shown that numbers tend to move quite a bit once people learn the facts about what separation would mean. Article content 'Is this really a hard level of support? At this time, probably not, but it's a clear indication that there's a potential for the movement to really gain a strong foothold in the province and it's something to really keep an eye on,' he said. Article content 'There's a potential for this to grow even stronger, depending on what happens next.' Article content
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Stockwell Day supports Alberta vote on separation, warns it's dangerous for Tories
Stockwell Day, seen in this 2009 file photo, says he thinks Alberta should hold a referendum on separating from Canada. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press) OTTAWA — Former Conservative member of Parliament Stockwell Day says Alberta separatism poses a threat to the federal Conservative party — which risks seeing a return to the kind of vote-splitting that was common before the party united in 2003. Day, who was part of Stephen Harper's cabinet from 2006 to 2011, says he's 'as outraged and upset' as the people behind the Alberta separation movement and he thinks holding a referendum is a good idea. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government introduced a bill earlier this month to make it easier to launch a citizen-initiated referendum — including a vote on separating from Canada. The legislation has faced backlash from Indigenous leaders, who say that no such referendum vote could overturn the treaties that cover much of the province. Day says he doesn't think separatists would get 50 per cent support from Albertans in a referendum. But he says the federal Liberal government needs to listen to Western Canadians who feel they aren't getting a fair deal from Ottawa. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2025. Article written by Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
CBC
14-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Why do some Albertans want to separate? Committed, curious pack Calgary banquet hall
Social Sharing A loveless marriage — that's how one potential Alberta separatist sees Alberta's relationship to Canada. "If we just got a little bit of love, we'd probably be satisfied. But I don't think it's coming," said Cynthia Mackenzie, a retired real estate agent and grandmother from Calgary. She looked around at the standing-room only crowd of roughly 1,000 at the Astoria Banquet Hall in northeast Calgary on Monday night. It was a public town hall on options and a potential referendum for Alberta independence. The noise of the crowd was a dull roar and the room grew warm quickly. Mackenzie said she's frustrated, feels her vote doesn't count and believes Alberta is not well represented among those in power in Ottawa. She said she wants those in the East to pay attention, because separatism is a big deal. "I don't know if I'm serious yet, but I might be," she said. "I wanted to come tonight to see what's in the air." "Maybe this new prime minister will take note of it. I don't know what the solution is. Mostly I'd like to be heard," she said. "I'd like someone to actually listen, even if they don't do anything. Just give me that love." Separation back in the news Alberta separatism roared back onto the public news agenda after the federal election, although it's still unclear whether that reflects a surge in public support. Many voters here were hoping the Conservatives would win the election. After they lost, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she would lower the requirement for citizens to force a referendum on this or any other topic. Then on Monday, the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) released the question it wants to put to Albertans. At a news conference, APP lawyer Jeffrey Rath said their proposed independence referendum question would be: "Do you agree that the province shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?" The public town-hall meeting followed the news conference. CBC News attended to find out what is drawing Albertans to this cause. 'We fund a lot of the country' Andrew Kaiser came with friends. The 42-year-old said he's been concerned about Alberta's relationship with Canada all his life. He said the problem goes back to the rules set when Alberta became a province of Canada in 1905. The rules don't require all provinces to be represented equally, so smaller ones such as the Atlantic provinces have more members of Parliament per capita than Alberta does. "Basically, we fund a lot of the country, yet they don't seem to want to give us any say," he said. "They want to stop us from making money with oil and gas, right?" Kaiser said even if Alberta doesn't fully separate, he'd like to see a more "sovereign Alberta within Canada." "A better constitution for us, for freedoms that can't be squashed.… Personal freedoms; that's the main reason I'm here is personal liberty," he said. Philippe Perreault was standing by the entrance. He said he attended because he's hoping Alberta separates and then joins the United States. He's originally from Quebec, applied to immigrate to Florida and when that failed, he said he moved to Alberta in anticipation of a referendum here. "I knew, the way the government was pushing Western Canada, it was going to increase the separatist movement," he said. "I see it as another opportunity." Perreault was too young to vote in Quebec's 1995 referendum but thinks Alberta has a better chance of economic success than the eastern province because it has less debt. The crowd in the banquet hall included a range of ages and genders. Some wore "Alberta Republic" hats, and volunteers helped people find spare seats when the room filled quickly. An organizer from the Alberta Prosperity Project told the crowd they normally start with a prayer, but since some in the room might not be Christian, they started with a song instead — Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz with the new lyrics: "Oh Lord, won't you bring us independence.…" Under the new provincial rules, Alberta Prosperity Project will need 177,000 signatures to force a referendum, but organizers have said they won't launch a citizens' initiative petition until they have 600,000 registered supporters online. No change in the polling data yet University of Alberta political scientist Jared Wesley has been measuring support for separation in Alberta regularly since 2019. He said they find 15 to 20 per cent of Albertans are hardline separatists, which is similar to what the Angus Reid Institute found in its poll released last week. "Our survey is showing no real momentum at this point," Wesley said. "That could change." His team is also tracking five Alberta separatist organizations, wondering if a clear leader will emerge. There is still no one who has become a household name the way René Lévesque and Lucien Bouchard did in the Quebec separatism movements. Wesley's team publishes its results at The group will have another survey in the field this fall. At the banquet hall, the packed room certainly made it feel like support for independence is high. Gord Larson said he was thrilled — "vindicated" — to be surrounded by so many like-minded people. He's a journeyman sprinkler fitter who grew up in B.C., where he said it felt like federal elections were over before he even got to vote. Then he moved to Alberta and said he's wanted to separate since at least former prime minister Justin Trudeau's second term. "I'm glad to see more people are feeling the way I've felt for a long time and I'm just glad to be a part of that," he said. "I don't stand alone. I just never thought there was enough political will with the people. I thought I was by myself." Kamal Yalbir, a facilities manager at a private school, said he thinks separating will help Alberta develop its economy and bring down the cost of living. Admiring, not joining the U.S. CBC News talked with about a dozen of the attendees who came out to participate. There was a mix of people who were curious and those who were committed to separation. Key themes included the belief that Alberta would be economically better off with more independence, and a perceived lack of representation in Ottawa. Several mentioned the higher levels of representation out East. With the redistribution of seats by Elections Canada in 2022, the four Atlantic provinces got 32 MPs representing 2.4 million people, while Alberta was given 37 MPs for 4.4 million people. Ontario, B.C. and Alberta all have fewer MPs per 100,000 people than the national average. CBC News did not find many people who wanted to join the United States, although several said they admired the U.S. Constitution and the way voters have the chance to elect people to more positions, such as judges. "I would like an independent Alberta with similar rules to the U.S. system where people are more involved, they have more say," said Colleen Willis, a bus driver and former nurse who lives in Calgary. Willis said she was surprised at the turnout. She had been at previous Alberta Prosperity Project events where she said only 20 to 30 people turned up. "It's a real groundswell of grassroots people."
