Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday said that Albertans had chosen national unity and a shared future with Canada after early referendum results indicated that the province had rejected a proposal to hold a binding vote on separation.
In a post on X, Carney said, "On October 19, Albertans made a clear choice. They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other. Above all, Albertans chose Canada."
According to CBC News, more than 76 per cent of voters were in favour of staying part of Canada in early referendum results, while around 23 per cent supported holding a binding vote on whether to leave the country.
CBC News projected that Albertans had soundly rejected the proposal to hold a binding referendum on whether to begin the separation process. As per the Canadian news site, cheers erupted at the 'Forever Canadian' watch party following the projection, with supporters raising their fists and flags in celebration.
As per the official statement provided in the post on X, Carney said that although votes on the other questions in the referendum were still being counted, the result on separation meant Alberta and the rest of Canada could move forward together.
"While votes on all questions continue to be tallied, tonight's results on the defining question of separation mean that Albertans and all Canadians will move forward together with renewed purpose and high ambition," he said.
The Canadian Prime Minister also highlighted his government's plans to expand trade, accelerate major infrastructure projects and strengthen the country's energy sector, with Alberta playing a central role.
"We are building that future, bigger and faster than ever before. Canada is securing new trade partners around the world, fast-tracking major, nation-building projects in every part of the country, and unleashing our full potential as a global energy superpower with Alberta at its core," Carney said.
He added, "Canada is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Now it is our opportunity to take all that we have been given as Canadians – and we have been given the greatest country in the world – and make our country better for all of us."
Meanwhile, early results on the other nine referendum questions indicated support for several proposed changes concerning immigration, social services and the distribution of powers between provincial and federal governments, although it was too early to project the outcomes, CBC News reported.
Among the immigration-related questions, 57 per cent of voters supported the proposal concerning immigration control, while 55 per cent backed the question on social services for newcomers. A proposal concerning the length of time newcomers must wait before qualifying for social services received 57.3 per cent support.
Another question, on requiring non-permanent residents to pay for healthcare, recorded 54.3 per cent support, while 58.9 per cent supported proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting.
On constitutional matters, early results showed 52.9 per cent support for allowing provinces to appoint judges, while 51 per cent backed abolishing the Senate. A proposal allowing Alberta to opt out of certain federal programmes while retaining the associated funding received 54.4 per cent support.
However, the proposal to give Alberta laws priority over federal laws in cases of conflict in provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction received 47.4 per cent support.
The referendum, held on Monday, asked voters to weigh in on a range of issues, including whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or begin the process of holding a binding vote on separation.