Alberta voted to remain part of Canada.

Residents of Alberta, Canada, overwhelmingly voted to remain part of the country in the province's first-ever referendum on separation, delivering a decisive victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney as he seeks to unite the nation amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States. The results were announced late Monday after 33 percent of the votes had been counted, showing 76 percent of the counted votes favored staying in Canada, while 23 percent supported proceeding with a binding vote on independence. The referendum itself was not legally binding. Premier Mark Carney stated that Albertans had made a clear choice, emphasizing unity, collective building, and mutual care. He added that Canada is more than the sum of its parts. Analysts had previously dismissed the likelihood of a separatist victory, pointing to surveys indicating around one-third of Albertans supported a future referendum on leaving Canada. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had declared the referendum in May, stating it was time to hold a vote to determine the will of Albertans on the issue and move forward accordingly. Late Monday, Smith expressed her satisfaction with the initial results, which showed broad support for remaining in Canada. She planned to address Albertans on Tuesday to discuss the outcome and the direction the province should take. A small but vocal group of separatists had campaigned for months, advocating for an independent Alberta. They argued that the province's energy resources subsidize poorer regions of Canada and that Alberta would be significantly wealthier without Ottawa's bureaucratic interference. Last week, Carney addressed a rally in Calgary, warning that voting to leave Canada would be a dangerous bluff leading to prolonged divisions. He urged Albertans to vote as though Canada's survival depended on it. Carney, who spent much of his childhood in Alberta, acknowledged that many Albertans feel overlooked by Ottawa. His government approved a proposed new pipeline, highlighting Alberta's role in reducing Canada's reliance on the United States. Alberta's referendum followed two previous referendums on separation in Quebec, a predominantly French-speaking province. Both times, Quebecers opted to remain in Canada. Indigenous groups opposed the idea of an independent Alberta due to existing land treaties with Ottawa that predate the province's formation within Canada. CBC News reported high voter turnout among Indigenous communities. A polling station in southern Alberta, near the Siksika Nation, temporarily ran out of ballots and remained open past 10 p.m. local time to allow all waiting voters to cast their ballots. Despite the overwhelming support for remaining in Canada, some separatist leaders indicated they would continue pushing for another referendum even if the majority of Albertans supported staying in the country. According to a survey by Angus Reid on October 16, 62 percent of Albertans believe the separatist movement will never disappear. In addition to the main question, voters were asked nine other non-binding questions, including topics such as immigration, access to provincial public services like education, social welfare, and healthcare, and conditions for voter identification. Results for these additional questions were still being released gradually.