Is Canada's Alberta joining the US? Separatists release potential referendum question

Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada? This is the possible question that the Albertans would be asked if a referendum is held. There will be no question of joining the US as Alberta separatists first want ti get rid of Canada and its newly elected Liberal government.

Alberta premier Danielle Smith said she does not support a separation proposal from Canada but she wants to negotiate with Prime Minister Mark Carney. She said she would allow a referendum to happen if there is the required number of signatures in favor of a referendum vote. She said she would allow it because if she doesn't, a rival party may take her place promising the same.

Alberta Prosperity Project said they would push Smith to allow a referendum later this year instead of waiting for next year.

According to an Angus Reid Institute poll released last week, 19 per cent of Albertans would definitely vote to leave Canada, while another 17 per cent say they lean in that direction. More than half of the respondents said they would definitely vote to stay in Canada.

While Alberta's dissatisfaction with Ottawa is nothing new, now the demand has grown louder with the Liberal Party again forming the government and US President Donald Trump wanting Canada to become the 51st state of the US.

Smith said it's her job to get a new deal with Ottawa so that more Albertans want to stay with Canada.

The APP leaders said the are confident that they can reach 600,000 registered supporters on their website by the end of June — they're at 240,000 now, they say — and want to put their question to voters this October or November.

The group claims that if Alberta becomes independent of Canada, oil and gas development would double within five years and they would keep their Canadian passports and Canada Pension Plan entitlements.