Supporters of the separation of Alberta state from Canada reported that in Edmonton they formally filed letters with adequate signatures to hold a referendum on the secession of the region.
The head of Stay Free Albert's separatist group, Mitch Sylvester, arrived at Alberta's Elections office, an independent institution liable for organising elections in the province, headed by a convoy of 7 trucks. According to activists, there were 302 1000 votes, while 178,000 were adequate to hold a referendum.
Prime Minister Alberta Danielle Smith announced that a referendum would be held if adequate people were signed under the initiative and the authenticity of the signatures were confirmed. The Plebiscite could take place in October.
A ruling by the Edmonton court on a complaint by an indigenous group that claims that the separation of Alberta would be a violation of the Canadian Indian treaty laws may stand in the way this week.
According to an Ipsos secession poll published in January, 29 percent of Alberta's residents support it. After reading the list of consequences of possible separation of provinces from Canada, the support for secession falls to 15-16 percent. "This means that for about half of separatist supporters ... independency is simply a political message alternatively than a plan the costs of which would be ready to bear," he stressed in a comment on the results of the study.
Since last year, the media has revealed that another separatist group of Alberta Prosperity task has held talks with the US president Donald Trump's environment on, among others, a $500 million loan.
APW, PAP
