The province of Alberta will hold a referendum on separation from Canada — so far symbolic

The Canadian province of Alberta will hold a consultative referendum in October to ask whether its residents wish to remain part of Canada.

This was reported by the head of the regional government Danielle Smith, CBC News reports.

In a speech on May 21, Smith noted that this referendum would not lead to the separation of Alberta from Canada, but would give the provinceʼs residents an opportunity to express their opinions.

Residents will be asked whether the Alberta government should initiate the legal process necessary to hold a binding referendum on provincial independence in the future.

The premier of Alberta says he favors the province remaining part of Canada and plans to vote for that in a referendum scheduled for October 19.

So far in Canadian history, only one region — Quebec — has held referendums on independence.

• Alberta is an oil-rich Canadian province of about 5 million people. For decades, there has been a small separatist movement there, the Alberta Prosperity Project, which advocates for provincial independence. However, it has never had any real political power.
• In January, the Financial Times, citing sources, reported that representatives of the administration of the US President Donald Trump had met several times with representatives of the Canadian separatist movement. Trump has proposed that Canada become the 51st state of the United States several times. The countryʼs authorities have rejected such proposals.

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