Albertans’ Post-Election Anger and the Attraction of Separatism

Pro-pipline supporters rally outside a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources regarding Bill C-69 in Calgary, Alta., on April 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Despite the fact that Albertans voted overwhelmingly—almost 70 percent of the popular vote—for the Conservative Party, it was the Liberals who won the election. The result has many Albertans questioning the place of their province within Canada.

The reason for Albertans’ anger is easy to explain. The Liberal government has done much to thwart the economic development of the province’s energy resources, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to continue with these kinds of policies.