Politics

Quebec sovereigntists distance themselves from Alberta separatists ahead of referendum

Longtime Quebec sovereigntists say Alberta's separatist movement differs fundamentally from their own as the province votes on a potential independence referendum.

By Marcus Lowe, Politics Reporter
October 17, 2026

Explainer

Question 10 on Alberta's Oct. 19 referendum ballot asks whether the province should remain in Canada or begin the legal process for a binding separation vote, with advance polls open until Saturday.

"It's mostly a waste because defeat is certain," said former Parti Québécois leader Jean-François Lisée. "There's really nothing much to gain from watching the Alberta independence movement, except maybe negative lessons."

How do Quebec sovereigntists view Alberta's referendum?

Marie-Anne Alepin, president of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal, believes Alberta is using separatism as leverage in negotiations with Ottawa rather than expressing genuine independence aspirations. "They want a bigger role within Canada and we want to leave," she said. "They want more control over their oil and gas ... we don't want pipelines."

This sentiment is shared by other well-known sovereigntists, including Louise Harel, a minister in the PQ government during the 1995 referendum, who agrees with Lisée that the two movements are fundamentally different.

What are the key differences between the movements?

Lisée and Harel assert that Quebec sovereigntists are motivated by the preservation of their cultural and linguistic identity, while Albertan separatists are driven by economic considerations and political libertarianism. They also perceive in Alberta a desire to move closer to the United States, whereas Quebecers are wary of assimilationist rhetoric.

"In Quebec, the challenge is to give a nation unique in North America, which... has valiantly resisted assimilation, the powers it needs to survive in globalization," said Harel. "There isn't such an identity-based, cultural issue in Alberta. It's an economic issue."

Lisée also pointed out that Quebec's sovereigntist parties have always been social-democratic, whereas the movement in Alberta appears to be linked to conservatism.

Have Alberta separatists claimed common cause?

Following the Parti Québécois's election to a minority government on Oct. 5, some Alberta separatist leaders rallied behind premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.

"Quebec rejected the status quo today," wrote columnist Cory Morgan, a founding member of the Alberta Independence Party in 2001, on social media. "Alberta can do the same in two weeks by choosing to send a message with Option 2 on Question 10."

Alberta separatist Jeffrey Rath also posted that "for the first time in history, Alberta Independence will have the support of the elected government of Quebec." He congratulated St-Pierre Plamondon and "the country of Quebec."

During a visit to Calgary last year, St-Pierre Plamondon stated that he would recognize an independent Alberta if the province voted in favour of separation.

How does public support and process compare?

Daniel Turp, a law professor at the Université de Montréal, sees differences in the referendum process itself. Quebec’s two independence referendums contained a single question on sovereignty, leading to mass mobilizations for weeks.

Public support also varies considerably. On the eve of the 1995 referendum, public opinion was evenly divided. According to the polling aggregator 338 Canada, support for Alberta leaving Canada was less than 25 per cent as of Oct. 11.

"There hasn't been a 'love-in' yet in Alberta, like there was in Quebec," Turp pointed out. "We may be less worried because the polls suggest that the 'remain' option will prevail."

More than 90 per cent of registered voters cast a ballot in the 1995 Quebec referendum. "That's the kind of voter turnout you see in countries where voting is mandatory," said Harel. "I would be extremely surprised if voter turnout in the Alberta referendum were the same."

Do they support Alberta's right to self-determination?

The sovereigntists said they do not reject the Alberta separatist movement entirely and sympathize with the desire for autonomy.

"If Alberta voted 'yes' and Ottawa then responded, 'Well, you can't leave,' we would be on Alberta's side," said Lisée.

Harel added that while she does not see ideological similarities, the democratic process must be respected. She said the Alberta referendum can give legitimacy to the one promised by the PQ.

Asked if they worry that a no vote on Monday could affect the PQ's promised referendum, all four said no. Alepin believes the two movements are too different for Albertans to influence Quebecers' appetite for sovereignty.

Nosy Mag reported in October that the Oct. 19 ballot includes nine other proposals on provincial control of immigration and constitutional reform.

With files from The Canadian Press, CityNews and CBC News