JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Voters in Alberta, Canada, are deciding today whether to take the first step toward a referendum on separating from the rest of the country. Reporter Sheena Rossiter joins us from Edmonton, which is the capital of Alberta. Hi there.
SHEENA ROSSITER, BYLINE: Hello.
SUMMERS: So, Sheena, this vote's a nonbinding referendum. Explain for us a bit more what people in Alberta are voting on today.
ROSSITER: Well, essentially, it's a vote on whether to have another referendum. There are 10 questions covering everything from immigration and provincial services to Alberta's constitutional status. Question 10 is the key one. Voters choose between keeping Alberta in Canada or starting the process towards a separation referendum. If Option 2 wins, it could pave the way for a vote on separation, much like Brexit in the U.K.
SUMMERS: And these separatist sentiments there, how long have they been brewing in Alberta?
ROSSITER: These grievances go back decades. Some people I spoke with at the Alberta independence rally have been separatists for 25 years, like Cory Morgan. He is the founder of Pathway to Independence, a third-party advertising group advocating for an independent Alberta.
CORY MORGAN: Even if we don't get over the line on Monday, I would hope that some people understand something large is brewing here. And if we don't get some change, it's going to continue to grow.
ROSSITER: Separatist sentiment really grew during COVID, with frustration spilling onto the streets during the 2022 trucker convoy in Ottawa. Now, the premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, called for a referendum but wants Alberta to stay in Canada. And Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, is making the same case, saying, quote, "Canada is stronger together."
SUMMERS: What's really at the heart of this, though?
ROSSITER: Well, Alberta is a major oil-producing province. It's the wealthiest province in the Canadian Confederation, and some residents feel that they contribute more to Canada than they get back. They want to keep more of that money in Alberta. But a government-commissioned report from the University of Calgary estimates that Alberta separating from Canada could cost up to $170 billion Canadian over five years. Thomas Lukaszuk, founder of Forever Canadian, a pro-unity group campaigning against Alberta separation, points to Quebec's 1995 referendum as a warning about the potential economic fallout.
THOMAS LUKASZUK: Several hundred thousand Canadians moved out of the province of Quebec and moved to other provinces. And till today, the province of Quebec hasn't recovered economically from that.
SUMMERS: How soon will we know the results?
ROSSITER: Well, Elections Alberta says unofficial results are expected within 48 hours of polls closing. There's also a legal challenge over Indigenous rights, with the province appealing a court ruling that First Nations weren't properly consulted. And whatever the result, Alberta's place in Canada is likely to remain a major issue heading into next year's provincial election.
SUMMERS: Sheena Rossiter, reporting from Edmonton, Alberta, thanks much.
ROSSITER: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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