Alberta Overwhelmingly Votes to Remain Part of Canada, Defeating Secessionist Push in Win for PM Carney

Alberta residents overwhelmingly voted to remain a part of Canada, defeating a secessionist push in a win for Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Canadian broadcaster CBC News called the results with just a third of the votes tallied as they showed that less than a quarter of voters had chosen to separate from the country.

Carney reacted with a statement, saying "Albertans made a clear choice," and decided to pursue "unity, to build together, and to take care of ⁠each other."

He had been warning that "some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us." And while he didn't mention the U.S. or President Donald Trump, he had done it in the past after the U.S. president suggested that Canada should become a state and began waging a trade war with the country.

"Don't be fooled by the idea you can 'send a message' with your vote," Carney said in another passage of his speech. This is not poker. A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep division and great uncertainty."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also praised the result, saying she was "very pleased" with the early results.

The non-binding referendum was the first time in the country's history in which a province different than Quebec sought to break from Canada. Even if the vote had passed, Alberta wouldn't have seceded automatically, as there would have been a negotiation with the federal government.

A separatist party also recently won an election in Quebec. However, the Parti Québécois fell short of a majority to govern on its own. "Quebecers elected the Parti Québécois asking it to work with the other parties, and I heard that message," said Paul St-Pierre Plamondon when addressing the public after the initial results.

St-Pierre Plamondon has vowed to pursue the independence referendum, calling it essential to preserve Quebec's identity and a "question of survival" for the French-speaking population. "I continue to dream and visualize that country," he said during his acceptance speech. He went on to say his idea would be maintaining close ties with Canada. "Quebec will never change its geographical position, so we have an interest in working together."