Albertans have some big decisions to make about the future of their province today.
What’s happening: Voters in the province will cast up to 10 ballots today, each on a different question put forward by Premier Danielle Smith’s government.
The matter of whether to hold a referendum on separation has attracted the most attention and turned into a proxy vote on whether the province should remain or leave the country.
Zoom out: The other nine questions have been overshadowed by the separation issue, but they’re also a pretty big deal.
They include giving the provincial government more control over policies that are now mostly set at the federal level, including immigration and health care, reopening the Constitution to give provinces more powers, and limiting how non-permanent residents can access public services.
What’s next: If the polls are accurate, Albertans are set to convincingly reject separation. But voters appear much more likely to opt for yes on the other nine questions (though recent polls show these tightening).
Why it matters: Even if Alberta decides not to start down the road of separating from Canada, yes votes on the other nine questions will set up a showdown between the province and Ottawa on key issues — immigration, health care, and the Constitution — that will likely form the basis of Premier Smith’s re-election campaign next year.
