As the Canadian federal election approaches, an unexpected voice has once again emerged: the independence of Alberta.

The secessionist sentiment in Alberta is continuing to rise. This time, it's not just social media complaints or small gatherings with only a few hundred people; there are now signs of actual organization. Even internal divisions have begun to appear within Alberta's ruling party.

A latest poll shows that if a referendum were held tomorrow, one quarter of Albertans would vote in favor of separating from Canada! What exactly is causing this energy giant's population to become so restless? Where will Alberta's future head?

Last month, at a press conference held in Calgary shortly after the start of the federal election campaign, renowned lawyer Jeff Rath publicly called for a secession referendum in Alberta and urged the province to quickly break free from federal government control.

He had previously supported on Fox News that Alberta should become the 51st state of the United States, making his remarks quite bold. What drew more attention to this event was that even members of Alberta's ruling United Conservative Party (UCP) came out in support.

The most notable among them was Mitch Sylvestre, a leader with considerable influence at the grassroots level of the UCP.

Not only is he the chairman of the Alberta Prosperity Project, but he was also a key member of the "Take Back Alberta" organization, which successfully overturned former Premier Jason Kenney in 2022.

Mitch直言："Now is the time for Alberta to think about itself!" He added that if the federal government continues to ignore Alberta's demands, Alberta could use an independence referendum as leverage to force the federal government to grant it special treatment similar to Quebec.

Mitch is not alone. Another conservative activist, David Parker, has also begun actively promoting the secession issue. He even claimed that "if the Liberals led by Mark Carney are re-elected, the independence movement in Alberta will immediately reach its climax as soon as the presidential votes are counted."

David said that this time is different from the brief "Western Secession" (Wexit) movement that quickly faded after being popular in 2019 following Trudeau's re-election. Back then, besides Facebook groups and a few hundred people's street rallies, it ultimately went nowhere.

Today, the situation is completely different. There are more experienced and organized leaders in the independence camp, so the movement will be larger and more influential.

But what is the reality? According to a recent poll by Angus Reid Institute, currently about 25% of Albertans support provincial independence. Although still a minority, this number has surprised and unsettled many Canadians.

The study shows that supporters of secession are mostly older men living in rural areas who work in the oil and gas industry.

This group feels that their economic interests and social dignity have been eroded in recent years. "Federal government policies have made their jobs no longer honorable and even considered the main culprit of environmental problems," explained Jared Wesley, a political scholar at the University of Alberta.

However, Jared also pointed out that those who are truly committed to independence are actually a minority. Many people just vent their dissatisfaction through such radical expressions.

He found that when asked about practical issues after independence—such as taxation, military, or export channels—their support significantly dropped.

John Butler, an Edmonton resident, told reporters in an interview: "Talking about separation, we haven't really thought it through. If Alberta were to truly become independent, how would we handle exports? Would we join the US? That would be worse. Staying in Canada seems more reliable."

Even so, Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta, admitted that the dissatisfaction of Albertans towards the federal government has indeed grown stronger over the past decade: "The Liberal federal policies over the past ten years have upset Albertans. We need to see changes after the election. If the federal government continues to ignore our demands, we will reassess the situation at that time."

As the federal election approaches, although Alberta is still a long way from actual secession, it is undeniable that the organization and politicization of this trend have clearly increased.

What will the future hold for Alberta? It may depend on who wins the federal election this time around.

Reference links:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/1-in-4-albertans-would-vote-to-separate-in-a-referendum-angus-reid-poll-suggests-1.7505516

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-separatism-danielle-smith-david-parker-analysis-1.7511192

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495287729010278951/

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