Residents of the oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta have overwhelmingly rejected the proposal to start a procedure for a future referendum on separation from Canada. According to estimated results cited by the CBC, about 76.5% voted to remain in the country, while 23.5% supported starting the process, which could lead to a referendum on independence.
The vote was not a direct referendum on separation. The question before voters was whether the provincial government should take the constitutional steps necessary to produce a future binding referendum.
The result is a victory for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Alberta and in recent days has urged residents to protect national unity. "Canada is worth fighting for. Vote for Canada," Carney said.
The vote interrupted the attempt at a new procedure
Support for secession was in line with preliminary polls, which had put it at under 25%. Until a few years ago, the separatist movement in Alberta had remained marginal, but in recent times it has attracted more attention amid tensions between Ottawa and Washington.
Earlier this year, US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant described Alberta as a "natural partner" for the United States. Representatives of the independence movement were also received at the State Department in Washington. In early October, billionaire Elon Musk also expressed support for secession.
In May, the separatist movement collected the necessary number of signatures to trigger a citizen-initiated referendum. However, a local court overturned the initiative on constitutional grounds.
Oil remains at the center of the dispute
Alberta has the fourth largest proven oil reserves in the world. It is the natural resources that are at the heart of the demands of separatists, who claim that the federal government is stifling the oil industry through environmental regulations, especially under the government of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Unlike his predecessor, Carney has approached the authorities in Alberta and accelerated the construction of a new oil pipeline to the Pacific coast. The project should facilitate the export of oil to Asian markets and is part of the Canadian government's strategy to reduce dependence on the United States.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith opposes independence, but decided to organize the referendum to appease the separatist wing of her own Conservative United Party. After the vote, the question of the movement's future remains politically significant, and Carney will also have to deal with separatist sentiment in Quebec.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, theguardian.com