Latest news with #Albertans'
Calgary Herald
27-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Alberta government to provide funding to MRU to explore optometry training in the province
Alberta's government has signed a letter of commitment with Mount Royal University, providing $300,000 to explore the potential of offering optometry training in the province. Article content Article content Canada currently offers only two options for students wanting to study optometry — the University of Waterloo and the Université de Montréal. Both programs are in high demand, and many students leave the country to pursue optometry studies, often not returning to Canada to practice. Article content Article content With the government's support, MRU will work with the University of Waterloo on ways to bring optometry training to Alberta. Article content Article content 'This is a great opportunity for Alberta. Mount Royal University has a strong reputation for providing high-quality health-related education, and we're confident this partnership will help strengthen Alberta's ability to train the health professionals we need to support the province's growing population,' said Myles McDougall, Alberta's Minister of Advanced Education, in a Government of Alberta news release. Article content The $300,000 grant will be provided over two years and support a study exploring program delivery, a financial model for the program and regulatory requirements. Article content The Alberta College of Optometrists and the Alberta Association of Optometrists have also expressed interest in the partnership and will be included in the study. Article content Article content 'Mount Royal University is grateful to the Government of Alberta for its support as we build on our strategic partnership with the University of Waterloo to address the increasing demand for vision care and optometry education for Albertans,' said MRU president and vice-chancellor Tim Rahilly. Article content Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Adriana LaGrange, said the province is committed to improving Albertans' access to health services. Expanding local educational opportunities provides opportunities for graduates to stay and build their careers locally, she said.
Vancouver Sun
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
On Alberta separatism, just over half of Canadians say they understand the desire: poll
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. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 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. 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. '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 Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Global News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Over half of Canadians say they understand Alberta separatism: poll
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. When it comes to Albertans, 70 per cent of them 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. Story continues below advertisement 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.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "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.' On the other end of the spectrum, 62 per cent of respondents said they're opposed, with 50 per cent saying they're 'strongly' opposed, and 11 per cent saying they 'don't know.' 2:13 Alberta group proposes anti-separatism referendum: 'I'm thankful to this country' Among respondents who support the province of Alberta becoming a country, 76 per cent say they understand why Alberta might want to become independent. Story continues below advertisement 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. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 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. 1:50 Economists warn separatism driven uncertainty scaring investment in Alberta 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. Story continues below advertisement 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.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's a potential for this to grow even stronger, depending on what happens next." Story continues below advertisement 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, The Canadian Press
Edmonton Journal
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
More than half of Canadians say they understand Alberta separatism: poll
Article content 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.
National Observer
23-05-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
More than half of Canadians tell pollster they understand Alberta separatism
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 BC, 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." Sixty-two per cent of respondents said they're opposed, with 50 per cent saying they're "strongly" 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 BC 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.
