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PoliticsCanada

Could Alberta separatists tear Canada apart?

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May 6, 2026

Separatists in Canada's oil-rich province Alberta have long sought greater autonomy from Ottawa. Now they say they have collected enough signatures to back a referendum on independence. What are their chances of success?

Alberta is one of Canada's most conservative provinces, and many residents feel the national government is a threat to Alberta's economic prosperity.

Canadian analyst Lori Williams from Calgary's Mount Royal University says anger at the Ottawa government grew during the Covid-19 pandemic and is being amplified by social media.

Tomi Oladipo Tomi Oladipo is a British-born Nigerian journalist based in Berlin.
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