No, Alberta isn’t leaving Canada as voters overwhelmingly reject independence for oil-rich province

Voters in Alberta, Canada's oil-rich province, overwhelmingly chose to remain part of Canada, according to early results from a referendum. Out of over 1.5 million votes, 76% supported staying in the country, while roughly 24% advocated for starting a process toward independence. Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the results as a clear vote for national unity, emphasizing that Albertans wanted to "build together, and to take care of each other."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also welcomed the early results, stating they demonstrated widespread support for remaining in Canada. Separatist leaders, however, saw a silver lining, with some suggesting at least a quarter of Albertans felt the province needed better treatment from Canada. Despite the referendum's failure to pass, separatist leaders claim the movement will persist.

Prime Minister Carney had urged Albertans to vote for unity, citing deep-seated resentment toward the federal government in Ottawa and recent threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.