Voters in the western Canadian province of Alberta were on track to reject an attempt a separating it from Canada as results of a referendum came in early on Tuesday.
The Alberta referendum was held on Monday. The principal question was whether it would remain a province of Canada or the provincial government would commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not it should separate from the country.
The vote appeared to be overwhelmingly against the first option. About two hours after polls closed in the province, and 33% of ballots counted, over three-quarters of voters had opted to remain in the country and reject a binding referendum on separation.
About 90 minutes after polls closed, major Canadian networks projected that the “remain” voters had prevailed.
In a statement released in the early hours of Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, “On October 19, Albertans made a clear choice. They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other.” “Above all, Albertans chose Canada,” he said, adding, “Canada is so much greater than the sum of its parts.”
That was the result Carney sought when he travelled to the province over the past few days with stops in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, the provincial capital. Carney’s pitch was clear: Ottawa needed a “decisive result” to “settle this question.”
{{/usCountry}}That was the result Carney sought when he travelled to the province over the past few days with stops in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, the provincial capital. Carney’s pitch was clear: Ottawa needed a “decisive result” to “settle this question.”
{{/usCountry}}“At this pivotal moment, Albertans have a choice. We can build a stronger Alberta and an even greater Canada to leave for our children. Or we can burden them with years of deep division and great uncertainty,” he said, as he stumped against separatism.
However, while voters obliged him on that particular question, they also appear to have rejected his other ask – to vote no on nine other questions. Five of those related to immigration, inserted by the provincial Government which had announced the referendum eight months earlier.
Voters agreed with the province that Alberta should take “increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities”. Another question related to supporting the provincial Government in Alberta “introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta-approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially-funded programmes, such as health care, education and other social services” and another that “all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially-funded social support programs.” Similar questions directed against temporary immigrants in a climate within the country of growing xenophobia, also appeared to have been backed by voters, including only allowing persons able to show valid proof of citizenship being able to vote in the provincial election.
That backing from voters could prove a headache for Carney’s government, as refusing to take the results seriously on the politically sensitive matter of immigration could further bolster separatism in the future.
Those results also come at a time when the Liberal Party government is looking at potentially increasing immigration levels in the plan to be announced next month. Immigration numbers, particularly for temporary residents including international students and workers, were decreased due to public backlash over the surge in newcomers into the country.