'Great result for Canada', says Carney as Alberta votes to reject separatism
0 / 34
English
中文
"Let's move on": Albertans react to separatist movement referendum results Prime Minister Mark Carney says an overwhelming vote by people in Alberta to remain part of Canada is a "great result" for the country.
（暂无翻译）
Speaking to reporters as he walked into a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Carney said he was "thrilled that Albertans have chosen unity" by rejecting a proposal to pursue separation through a binding referendum.
（暂无翻译）
Preliminary results indicate more than two-thirds chose Canada over a push for independence for the province, according to Elections Alberta, external.
（暂无翻译）
Monday's referendum was the result of a months-long campaign by separatists in the western Canadian province to get a public vote on the issue.
（暂无翻译）
Provincial leader Danielle Smith welcomed the initial results, commenting: "Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada."
（暂无翻译）
Premier Smith herself opposed the separatist push but said the public will for a vote was undeniable, and many supporters of her own political party - United Conservative Party - were in the separatist camp.
（暂无翻译）
Smith said she would address Albertans later on Tuesday on the path forward for the province.
（暂无翻译）
In making the case for independence from Canada, many of the separatists said the oil-rich province's economic growth had been stifled by the environmental policies of Canada's central government in Ottawa.
（暂无翻译）
But those who opposed a breakup - including Carney - called for Canada to present a united front in the face of external pressures, including an ongoing trade war with the United States.
（暂无翻译）
"They've chosen to build together," Carney said.
（暂无翻译）
"They've chosen to continue to take care of each other, to move forward, to move forward together, with purpose, high ambition." Carney added that he had spoken to Smith that morning and discussed "moving forward in the spirit of cooperative federalism, including on issues of immigration, other common priorities".
（暂无翻译） （暂无翻译）
Over the past year, the prime minister has worked with Smith on a number of shared goals, including pushing for an oil pipeline to the Pacific coast. 'Conversation far from over': BBC reports from pro-separatist watch party Huge setback for Alberta's separatist movement after decisive defeat At a pro-separatist watch party in Edmonton, the hum of upbeat chatter quickly quieted as those present saw the projected results.
（暂无翻译）
After overnight vote projections were published by Canadian broadcaster CBC and others, the mood soured.
（暂无翻译）
The watch party attended by the BBC packed up quickly, and people went home.
（暂无翻译）
One of the separatist leaders, Jeffrey Rath, struck a defiant tone, however, vowing that "our movement isn't stopping and we're continuing to move forward".
（暂无翻译）
Speaking to the BBC World Service's Newsday programme, Rath, a lawyer based in Calgary, said he saw Monday's vote as a "first step" which had taught the movement some "valuable lessons".
（暂无翻译）
Asked whether his movement would push to keep holding votes on independence until it got the result it wanted, he responded "why not?", and insisted that "the math and the economics" all added up on his side of the argument. Separatist leader Jeffrey Rath was defiant even as results went against him Premier Scott Moe, from the province of Saskatchewan, said he was glad Albertans chose unity, but added that "there is still work to be done on improving how Western Canada is treated by Ottawa".
（暂无翻译） （暂无翻译）
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada's Conservative party and a member of parliament from Alberta, said on social media that "the promise of Canada is worth fighting for".
（暂无翻译）
"Now our focus must be on results in people's lives: affordable food and homes, safe streets, strong borders, and less immigration," he said.
（暂无翻译）
Smith called the vote after a grassroots group gathered about 300,000 signatures on a petition seeking a binding referendum on separation.
（暂无翻译）
The petition was blocked by a judge, saying it failed to consult indigenous First Nations people - however, Smith opted to go ahead with the ballot.
（暂无翻译）
Another group collected signatures for its own petition that opposed separation, which was signed by more than 400,000 people.
（暂无翻译）
The key question on Monday's voting paper asked: "Should Alberta remain a province of Canada or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?"
（暂无翻译）
It's the first time a Canadian province has weighed the issue of separation since Quebec's two referendums, in 1980 in 1995.
（暂无翻译）
Both of those were unsuccessful, but Alberta separatists believe Quebec used the threat of independence to gain significant political leverage over Canada's central government.
（暂无翻译）
Smith said before the vote that if Albertans chose the remain option, a binding referendum on separation would not be held - at least, not while she was in power.
（暂无翻译）
Those who favoured remaining part of the Canada cheered the result at an event in Edmonton Despite the projected results, the conversation around Albertan sovereignty is not over.
（暂无翻译）
Separatists leaders have indicated that they plan to try and push Smith out of power within her United Conservative Party, in the hope of installing a leader who is more sympathetic to their cause.
（暂无翻译）
Another separatist leader, Mitch Sylvestre, told the BBC on polling day that "a lot of work will have to be done" to curb the appetite for independence if his side did lose.
（暂无翻译）
Although responses to the referendum question were tallied first, there were nine other non-binding questions on Monday's ballot paper.
（暂无翻译）
Five of these dealt with immigration, while the other four focused on the Canadian constitution.
（暂无翻译）
Early results suggest that most will pass, including proposals for the province to take increased control over immigration levels.
（暂无翻译）
仅供学习使用，如有侵权请联系删除 · 查看原文