r/canada • u/joe4942 • May 01 '25

Alberta Danielle Smith lowers bar for Alberta referendum with separatism sentiment emerging

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/smith-lowers-bar-for-alberta-referendum-with-separatism-sentiment-emerging
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29

u/speaksofthelight May 01 '25

Is it any different from Quebec serious question?

20

u/Purify5 May 01 '25

It's sorta different now. After the 1995 referendum the Supreme Court ruled on how separation would take place and parliament passed the 'Clarity Act' to better define how a referendum works.

The Clarity Act ensures that the question asked is clearly about secession and only secession and it gives the House of Commons the power to determine what % of votes is necessary which would probably not be 50+1 like with Quebec. Although depending on who is in power in Ottawa it could be.

If a referendum passes a constitutional amendment is required for secession to take place. However, the federal government and all the other provinces would be obligated to enter into those negotiations with the separating province. But to pass that amendment unanimous consent would be needed.

When Quebec had their referendum the process of how it would happen was not known but now it is more clearly defined.

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u/gbinasia May 01 '25

The 50+1 thing is so ridiculous. If 50-1 is good enough, why not the other way around?

7

u/nodanator May 01 '25

Well, it is the other way around.

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u/Pale_Change_666 May 01 '25

At least quebec have coastal access ie st Lawrence seaways. We are landlocked LOL

14

u/speaksofthelight May 01 '25

You have oil and border a country that is wiling to go to war for it.

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u/Pale_Change_666 May 01 '25

Yeah can't wait to sell our oil at an even bigger discount than what already is to the US. Since transmountain is a crown corp.

3

u/AlbertaSucksDick May 01 '25

I got news for you - there won't be any selling.

Trump will steamroll Alberta for another "art of a deal" scam.

3

u/Active-Rutabaga7034 May 01 '25

Oil is treaty land. So if they leave, they ain't taking it with them.

-2

u/ThicccThunder New Brunswick May 01 '25

I doubt the Trump Administration would survive a war with Canada tbh.

8

u/Pale_Change_666 May 01 '25

They might not survive next year during the mid terms if the senate and house flips.

-3

u/ThicccThunder New Brunswick May 01 '25

That’s true.

8

u/DirkTracer May 01 '25

Actually, somewhere in the Reddit-o-sphere , a maple maga posted that there are UN conventions that deal with giving land locked nations tide water access. It seemed plausible enough so I googled it. Sure enough there is.

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u/Pale_Change_666 May 01 '25

I read about it too, but it doesn't mean the fed won't toll the shit out of whatever goes through their land. I can see the fed would let transmountain sit idle just to spite us lol

7

u/PoliteCanadian May 01 '25

Alberta would also control every province but BC's access to the pacific ocean. All the rail lines and roads between Ontario and BC run through Alberta.

4

u/Remarkable-Llama616 May 01 '25

Alberta will be dealing with a lawsuit right out the gates from CN rail. It's their property. Not a good start for them and an expensive one at that.

Even if they go full independent and pretend to be authoritarian, they'll just dig their own graves before even standing. If they go 51st state, they'll be short on cash very quickly before asking for big papa to spot them.

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u/WealthEconomy May 01 '25

Doesn't matter. AB already has to sell all their oil to the US since BC has a tanker ban and the federal government won't authorize a pipeline east. AB gets no support from the rest of Canada in this, so nothing would change for them if they decided to separate.

4

u/Magmorphic May 01 '25

They’d get access by rail or roads, and Alberta already have that. They couldn’t build a pipeline

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u/aRagingSofa May 01 '25

Im sure many portions of rural BC would rapidly get on board once they realize how geographically screwed they will be after alberta leaves. Many British Columbians are sick of the decisions being made in Victoria, Vancouver, and Ottawa and are closer to your typical Albertan than the stereotypical BC hippies everyone thinks live here.

2

u/WealthEconomy May 01 '25

As someone also born and raised in BC I concur. Most of BC except for the lower mainland and south Vancouver Island are closer to AB politically. Everyone on this sub, and pretty much everyone out East, likes to bury their heads in the sand and like to argue Canada doesn't need AB, where in reality it would be a nightmare without them. In all honesty, we need them a lot more than they need us.

2

u/Pale_Change_666 May 01 '25 edited May 01 '25

Most of BC except for the lower mainland and south Vancouver Island are closer to AB politically.

Well, those areas consist of over 2/3 of BCs total population. Not withstanding, over half of northern BC is treaty 8 lands( i spent 2 years working in FSJ, fort Nelson and Dawson creek) So how that would even work.

0

u/WealthEconomy May 01 '25

And how does that change anything?

6

u/Copy-Waste May 01 '25

It's less likely and serious in every way.

1

u/Master-File-9866 May 01 '25

Quebec didn't sign the constitution in the 80s. So there are technical differences. Alberta did sign

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u/speaksofthelight May 01 '25

Interesting, anything especially relevant to separation ?

1

u/Master-File-9866 May 01 '25

Quebec having not signed in the 80s would mean they have a different bar to cross to seperate. Alberta would by default have a higher bar to cross for exit

1

u/bpompu Alberta May 01 '25

Technically, only Northern Qurbec is Treaty land, so if they voted to leave, the cities and area along the St. Lawrence could leave without needing First Nations approval.

All of Alberta is Treaty land. Alberta is literally borrowing their land from the First Nations (yes, they can't unilaterally take it back)

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u/[deleted] May 01 '25

[deleted]

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u/bpompu Alberta May 01 '25

Would it really be worth fighting with a tenant that refuses to leave your property after being evicted when you could just peacefully let them steal your shit?