'An absolute waste of time': Referendum ballots draw mixed feelings from voters in Alberta's oilsands region

Many Albertans are headed to the polls today, to weigh in on the 10 non-binding referendum questions, drawing mixed reactions from voters in the heart of the oilsands.

The ballots cover immigration, access to provincial programs, voting requirements, constitutional reform and Alberta’s place in Canada. The final question asks voters to choose between remaining a province and beginning the legal process toward a future binding referendum on separation.

Erick White said referendums give Albertans a direct way to communicate with elected officials.

“I think the referendum is good because it’s good to let our representatives know what it is that we want,” White said. He added voters should consider “not just the one big question, but the other nine as well.”

White said he would like governments to use referendums more often on major decisions.

“I think it’s something we should do all the time,” he said. “We should be telling our representatives how we feel about all major decisions that are made in the government.”

But Ilda Behriss, who has lived in Fort McMurray for 42 years, questioned why Alberta’s place in Confederation was on the ballot.

“I am an immigrant, and so are we all, with the exception of Indigenous Peoples,” Behriss said. “What the hell are we doing even asking this question?”

She said she wanted her voice to be heard but viewed the vote as pointless.

“There are people who will never be happy, and they usually make it miserable for everybody else — and they’re doing a good job of it right now,” she said.

At the SMS Equipment Stadium, one of the voting locations downtown, election officers stationed near the entrance said the morning had been “smooth sailing.”

Voters had their addresses verified before being directed to the appropriate table and receiving the separate ballots.

Some residents nevertheless described confusion about rejected or damaged ballots, including one voter who said she was given a torn ballot and was not immediately advised by elections officers on next steps.

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