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| Great White North |
| Oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta votes to remain part of the country... but demands immigration is slashed and voter ID laws are tightened |
| 2026-10-20 |
| [Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Canada's most conservative province has rejected independence - but voted in favor of major changes to the way the country is run. Alberta, the nation's oil heartland, has long been at odds with liberal government leaders over the country's environmental and immigration policies. Separatist leaders capitalized on outrage over restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and support for the movement grew, leading to a referendum vote on Monday. Despite separatists' hopes, the province voted overwhelmingly to stay in Canada, with 76 per cent of voters in favor. The decision comes as President Donald Trump continues to call for Canada to become the '51st state,' a notion Canadian officals have frequently shot down. The vote was one of nine questions on Monday's referendum. A majority of the questions regarded immigration. Albertans voted to enhance immigration laws, limit provincial-funded programs to citizens, and implement a 12-month residency requirement before non-permanent residents can receive social benefits. They also voted 'yes' to providing proof of citizenship in provincial elections, fees for health care and education for non-permanent residents, abolishing the Senate and prioritizing local provincial laws over federal laws. The vote represents a shift in the already conservative province. The fringe separatist movement has gained support since the pandemic, and even though a majority of Albertans want a unified Canada, there is still a growing divide between the federal government and the province. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in the early hours of Tuesday that Albertans 'chose unity to build together and to take care of each other.' He continued that Canada was securing new trade partners and working to become 'a global energy superpower with Alberta at its core.' 'Canada is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Now it is our opportunity to take all that we have been given as Canadians - and we have been given the greatest country in the world - and make our country better for all of us.' If the vote went differently, Alberta would begin the legal process of a referendum to separate from Canada. Monday's vote was just the first step in the process. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomed Monday's results, writing on X: 'I’m very pleased to see the initial results from Elections Alberta show widespread support for remaining in Canada. Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada.' With help from separatists, Smith became leader of the United Conservative Party. She added the question to Monday's referendum after a Canadian court rejected a petition calling for a vote on separation. Despite that decision, Smith has said she supports Alberta remaining a province in Canada. Multiple separatist groups have emerged since the Covid-19 pandemic. Jeff Rath, a leader of the independence movement, told the Associated Press that federal vaccine regulations motivated him to advocate for an independent Alberta. 'Covid was really the straw that broke the camel's back,' he said. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said the separatist movement grew out of anger over globalization, vaccines and pandemic restrictions, exacerbated by social media. Even though opposition to energy policies had previously existed in Alberta, separatist policies failed to see any significant support before the pandemic. Separatists have competing visions of what an independent Alberta would look like. Some groups have aligned with a Christian vision, while others have alluded to stricter immigration laws. Related: Canada: 2026-10-19 Seven Dead, Dozens Injured as Major Fire Engulfs Canada Military Base Canada: 2026-10-18 Carney implies US trying to 'break' Canada as Alberta vote looms Canada: 2026-10-18 Terror plot ringleader of Jihadist group 'Toronto 18,' which planned to bomb several locations and storm government, granted full release because parole board says he's 'polite and quiet' |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
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| Posted by: Bertie Chereth9421 2026-10-20 21:51 |
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| Posted by: Mullah Richard OTR 2026-10-20 17:55 |
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| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2026-10-20 15:20 |