Albertans Vote On Path To Independence

October 19, 2026 4:52 am

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Voters in Canada’s oil-rich Alberta province will decide Monday whether to begin a process that could lead to independence, testing national unity. President Donald Trump’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have rallied Canadians around their country. Monday’s vote is not a direct referendum on independence. Alberta, home to most of Canada’s proven oil reserves — the fourth largest in the world — will decide whether to remain a province or begin the legal process toward a future referendum on separation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged Albertans not to take the outcome for granted and asked for a decisive result.