Alberta Voters Reject Separation From Canada as Carney Wins

Bloomberg comments Alberta Voters Reject Separation From Canada as Carney Wins

With about 1.2 million votes counted, about 76% were in favor of remaining in Canada, enough for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. to project victory for that side. The other option on the ballot was to support starting a legal process that could eventually lead to a second referendum on independence.

Premier Danielle Smith called the referendum in May after separatist organizers collected hundreds of thousands of names on a petition that asked for a vote. She advocated for staying in the country, though opinion surveys showed supporters of her United Conservative Party are divided on the matter. That tension may play out in the coming months, as she and others have warned of a potential split within the governing party.

"I'm very pleased to see the initial results from Elections Alberta show widespread support for remaining in Canada. Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada," Smith said in a statement. She said she would make a live address to the province on Tuesday evening.

The resource-rich province of 5 million people produces more than 4 million barrels a day of oil and ships the bulk of it to refineries in the US, helping to make energy Canada's largest category of exports. The region has been the epicenter of anger about former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's environmental policies, which restricted energy development and sought to promote renewables over fossil fuels.

Since taking power more than 18 months ago, Carney has reversed or changed a number of Trudeau's signature policies — canceling a consumer carbon tax, loosening emissions rules and focusing the government on attracting more investment.

The prime minister, who grew up in Alberta, also made a series of pacts with Smith. The Canadian government agreed to back a new 1 million-barrel-a-day oil pipeline to the west coast as a project in the "national interest." Carney and his cabinet pledged to fast-track approvals and asked state-owned pipeline company Trans Mountain Corp. to lead the building of it.

The issue captured public attention. The most prominent pro-Canada group was led by Lukaszuk, who crisscrossed the province in a recreational vehicle to give speeches, hold events and hand out lawn signs. Carney appeared twice at the group's rallies last week in Calgary and Edmonton.