Most Albertans opposed independence in recent election but voted for greater control over immigration and election integrity, among other issues.

Anthony
Murdoch
EDMONTON, Alberta (LifeSiteNews) — Albertans have voted not to hold a future vote on whether or not the province should separate from Canada; however, most voted to increase provincial autonomy.

Official results from Elections Alberta, at the time of writing, show about 88 percent of polls reported from yesterday’s referendum. Question 10 on the ballot dealt with the separation questions. As of press time, about 75 percent of voters want to stay in Canada, with about 25 percent wanting to leave.

The question about possible separation read: “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?”

These numbers are more or less in line with what polls showed; however, more Albertans opted to leave the province than the mainstream politicians thought.

Out of the total of the nine yes or no questions on the ballot, eight of the nine resulted in a yes vote, meaning that most Albertans want the province to become more autonomous from the federal government.

The majority of Albertans voted to take “increased control over immigration,” as well as mandate that voters in provincial elections prove their citizenship.

Also, Albertans voted to work with the governments of other “willing provinces” to amend the “Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate.”

The only no vote to gain a majority, although a slim one, dealt with asking if the province should “opt out” of certain federal programs that “intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education and social services.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was pleased with the results, as she called for all yes votes to the nine questions, and option 1, or to remain in Canada.

“Thank you, Alberta! 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,” she said in an X post.

“Thank you to all Albertans who took time to vote on these critically important referendum questions.”

Smith will at a later date address the province to give next steps on how the government will proceed on the results from the other questions.

Separatists vow vote is only the beginning
One of the main voices behind the separation camp, Derek Smith, said in an X post that, while the results are not what
“It was the clearest proof yet that the independence movement is real, organized, and here to stay,” he said.

“Nearly 470,000 of us voted yes to commence the legal process for a binding provincial referendum on separation. That’s roughly 1 in 4 voters who explicitly chose the pathway to independence. Not a fringe. Not a protest vote that can be dismissed. A massive, motivated base that showed up in a high-turnout referendum.⁠”

Smith said that “Ottawa faces a choice: deliver real, lasting changes that treat Alberta as a partner rather than a resource colony, or watch this 25% expand.”

“History shows what happens when a large minority in a prosperous region concludes the federation no longer works for them. The pressure is now on the federal government, not on us.”

The leader of the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) supported more Alberta autonomy and said that the results were clear that the people’s message is “unequivocal.”

“The Albertans have spoken. Every question regarding immigration was adopted by a clear majority. Their message is unequivocal: the disastrous era of mass immigration and the distribution of generous social benefits, such as free healthcare and education, to temporary residents must come to an end,” he said in an X post.

“This is a direct rejection of the open-borders delusion supported by the Liberals and the fake conservatives in Ottawa, and a powerful endorsement of the platform grounded in common sense and the principles of the People’s Party of Canada.”

Recently, as reported by LifeSiteNews, Elon Musk weighed in on the debate around some Canadian provinces potentially becoming independent, saying that Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec should leave Canada.

Calls for Alberta’s independence have grown since Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney defeated Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre in the 2025 federal election. In Alberta, all but two seats went to the Conservatives.

Carney, like former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before him, said that he is opposed to new pipeline projects that would allow Alberta oil and gas to be extracted, although he appears to be softening his stance due to high oil prices as a result of the U.S.-Iran war.