For decades, Quebec has been the province to voice desire for referendums, but recently talk of separating has been blowing over the prairies. This latest iteration is being pushed under the banner of autonomy and fairness, driven by frustration over another federal Liberal government and a growing sense of Western alienation.
As a born and raised Albertan, currently living in B.C., I know what it feels like to have the election called before our polls are even closed. I鈥檓 not void of empathy, but let鈥檚 call Alberta separatism what it is: a distraction.
The notion of Alberta breaking off from Canada is not only legally and logistically unfeasible 鈥 it鈥檚 political theatre that drains energy from real, achievable reform. If Albertans genuinely want their voices to count in Ottawa, the only path forward is not separation. It鈥檚 electoral reform.
Under the , Alberta would need to hold a referendum with a clearly worded question and, after that, a 鈥渃lear majority鈥 of votes in favour. Only then would the federal government be required to negotiate the terms of separation 鈥 not grant it. These negotiations would include all provinces and the federal government, and would require a constitutional amendment, needing unanimous consent from every provincial legislature and Parliament.
Even if Alberta passed a referendum tomorrow, it would still be many years 鈥 possibly decades 鈥 before secession could be realized, if ever. Premier Danielle聽Smith鈥檚 efforts might fast-track a referendum vote, but she can鈥檛 bypass the legal and constitutional obligations that follow.
And then there鈥檚 the logistics. More than 鈥 federally owned and controlled. That鈥檚 not going anywhere. The same applies to borders: Alberta doesn鈥檛 own its border with the U.S. It鈥檚 a national boundary under federal jurisdiction. Any trade across it, particularly vital oil and gas exports, would suddenly become subject to negotiation.
Most critically, . The majority of the province, including all major cities, sits on land covered by treaties signed between Indigenous nations and the crown 鈥 agreements that predate Alberta鈥檚 creation. First Nations leaders across the province have repeatedly . These treaties are with Canada, not Alberta.
If all of this sounds complicated, it鈥檚 because it is. And that鈥檚 before we even get into the economic chaos that would follow 鈥 questions around CPP, EI, OAS, federal pensions, veterans’ benefits, and health-care funding. A referendum alone could cost several millions of dollars. That should mean something to conservatives who tend to vote for fiscal restraint.
Separating is not an actionable plan, it鈥檚 reactive and chaotic.
Albertans feel ignored. The governing Liberal party won only a sprinkling of seats in Alberta. Yet that same government now sets policy for the entire country. It鈥檚 easy to see why that feels unjust to an Alberta voter.
The issue isn鈥檛 that Alberta is part of Canada 鈥 it鈥檚 that Alberta is part of a system that routinely discounts large swaths of the population. First-past-the-post, Canada鈥檚 current electoral system, turns minority parties into majority governments and treats entire regions as irrelevant if they vote the 鈥渨rong鈥 way. It makes your vote matter only if you live in a swing riding.
Electoral reform 鈥 specifically proportional representation 鈥 would change that.
In a proportional system, the number of seats a party receives in Parliament more accurately reflects the number of votes it received nationwide. That means if a party wins 30 per cent of the vote, it gets about 30 per cent of the seats 鈥 not a majority, not a landslide, just a fair share.
This kind of system would transform Alberta鈥檚 role in the federal landscape. Conservatives wouldn鈥檛 just sweep Alberta and then get ignored in government 鈥 they鈥檇 actually hold seats in proportion to their national support. Smaller parties like the NDP, Greens, or even region-specific parties could gain influence without being penalized by vote concentration. Indigenous-led or Western-focused parties could finally find footing in federal politics without being sidelined by geography.
are not radical. They鈥檙e used in more than 90 countries, including Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, and Scotland.
Proportional representation would also alleviate the polarization we’re seeing in Canadian politics. Under first-past-the-post, political parties focus聽on a handful of battleground ridings,聽ignoring the rest. That鈥檚 why voters in Alberta and the prairies feel invisible. In a proportional system, every vote would count 鈥 regardless of postal code.
Instead of shouting “We鈥檙e leaving,” Albertans should be leading the charge for national reform.
The way forward isn鈥檛 out 鈥 it鈥檚 through democracy that actually reflects the will of the people.
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