Alberta referendum result may boost Liberal seats, analysts say
Analysts said on 26 October that the outcome of the 19 October Alberta stay-referendum and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s high approval could add 10-15 seats to the governing Liberals in the province at the next federal election, according to The Hill Times. Prime Minister Mark Carney had appealed to Albertans ahead of the vote, warning that a separation process would create uncertainty for the province and Canada, NBC reported.
Premier Danielle Smith had publicly supported keeping Alberta in the federation, Fortune noted. When the non-binding referendum was held, roughly three quarters of voters chose to remain in Canada, defeating the proposal to start a legal pathway toward a future independence vote, CBS News said, with early counts showing about 77% against separation, NPR reported.