Just a few years ago, the title of this post would have seemed extreme. However, it is now a very real possibility that Alberta will secede from Canada. However, that is not a sure thing and it is not the only option facing those who live in Alberta. The separatist movement in Alberta gained a reported 303,000 signatures for a referendum on the matter, far more than the required 178,000 signatures (first link). This triggers a provincial vote on the matter which may be held as early as October.
The “prairie provinces” of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have long complained that they are taken for granted by the central Canadian government which traditionally serves mostly the interests of the more eastern provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For years, there have been rumblings about Alberta and the other two provinces declaring their independence, but this is the first concrete political action that could trigger such an outcome. The first link and second link make it clear that independence for Alberta is by no means a certainty. Even if the separatist vote (when it happens) favors secession, it does not automatically make it happen. It will cause negotiations with the central government, which may make concessions to Alberta that will convince the province to stay in the Canadian union. The third link also briefly mentions a complicating factor in the negotiations. Canada has agreements with various “first nations” groups in Canada. It will surely come up in the negotiations about whether Alberta will honor those agreements if it leaves the federal union.
There are at least three options for Alberta if the separatist referendum is approved. Alberta could become an independent nation, or it could become a new American state. It is also possible that Alberta may choose to stay in the Canadian union. There are many complications if Alberta chooses to become an independent nation or an American state. Whatever is decided, there may need to be a separate referendum in the future to specifically approve Alberta’s future status. I’ve included the fourth link which is a web search link offering readers many different opinions and perspectives on this action by Alberta. It is my opinion that Alberta would be in a stronger position if Manitoba and/or Saskatchewan also seceded from Canada at the same time. Independence would pose a special problem as Alberta is a landlocked province with no direct link to the sea. Union with the USA would be a much better logistical option as it directly borders the USA. That would ensure easy access to global markets and all kinds of commercial activity. I think the US Congress would also have to approve Alberta’s admission into the USA. Alberta is very energy-rich province so it would offer much to the USA if there is a merger.
Even if the three Canadian prairie provinces seceded together, it would leave British Columbia and Vancouver in Canada but separated from the remaining Canadian provinces in the east. I think the Canadian government would work hard to avoid such an outcome.
The secession of one or more Canadian provinces from Canada would also have major international repercussions. Canada is a member-state of NATO, and such an action would have an impact on NATO. Would an independent Alberta join NATO? Would NATO accept an independent Alberta’s application for membership? If Alberta wants to join the USA, there will be political factors that could block or delay its admission into the USA. Canada’s prairie provinces tend to be more conservative and they would likely elect Republican senators or local conservatives aligned with Republicans. Democrats will resist this, and they might demand a liberal province of Canada also join the USA, maintaining the current right-left balance. There is a precedent for such an action. Before the US civil war, there was a rough balance between free states and slave states. Each time a state was admitted into the union as a free or slave state, the other faction demanded the admittance of another state in the rival faction to maintain the balance. If such actions began to happen in the real world, Canada could splinter as provinces from Canada joined the USA. Alberta would, obviously, have to swear allegiance to the US Constitution if it sought to join the USA.
I urge readers not to lose sleep over this issue just yet. There are many hurdles to overcome before Alberta is truly removed from Canada and free to choose its future destiny as an independent nation or as a state within the USA. However, as a result of the decisive vote in Alberta in favor of a referendum on independence, it is now possible that one of those outcomes may actually come to pass.
- https://www.foxnews.com/world/
alberta-separatists-say- enough-signatures-referendum- leaving-canada - https://worldtribune.com/
alberta-separatists-gather- over-300000-signatures-in-bid- to-leave-woke-canada/ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3PYN589vLdM - https://www.google.com/search?
client=firefox-b-1-d&q= Alberta+to+leave+CAnada+and+ join+the+USA%3F
