Separatists in Alberta declared they have gathered enough signatures to trigger a historic vote on leaving Canada. The Stay Free Alberta group formally submitted nearly 302,000 signatures on Monday. They only needed 178,000 names to force the province to formally consider the ballot measure.
The question of separation could go on a province-wide ballot as early as October. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith previously stated she would move forward if enough names were officially gathered and verified.
"This day is historic in Alberta history," Mitch Sylvestre, the head of Stay Free Alberta, said Monday. He arrived at the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton leading a convoy of seven trucks to deliver the names. "It’s the first step to the next step — we’ve gotten by Round 3, and now we’re in the Stanley Cup final," Sylvestre added.
Smith personally does not support the oil-rich province leaving the country. However, she has accused previous federal Liberal governments of introducing legislation that hamstrings the ability to produce and export oil. She noted that these federal policies have cost the province billions of dollars and warned against further government meddling.
More than 300 supporters gathered in Edmonton on Monday. The enthusiastic crowd waved the provincial flag and chanted "Alberta strong." A successful vote would not trigger independence automatically, as intense negotiations with the federal government would still need to take place.
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University, told reporters that the independence effort is tied to ongoing frustrations. He claimed that liberal Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is still popular in the region despite the movement.
"The push for independence by some Albertans predates his prime ministership, and it’s related to economic, fiscal, and political grievances about the seemingly unfair treatment of Alberta by the federal government," Béland said. "These concerns increased during the Justin Trudeau years, but they have peaked and even declined since he left office."
The petition for a referendum could face a significant legal hurdle later this week. An Edmonton judge is expected to rule on a court challenge filed by Alberta First Nations. These Indigenous groups argue that provincial separation would violate their established treaty rights.