Most Albertans aren't aware of other nine ballot questions in October, says Alberta political scientist

A University of Alberta political science professor says the research into Alberta's secession movement goes back a few years.

Jared Wesley says things date back to 2019, the year the Trudeau Liberal government lost its majority, but managed to maintain their hold on power by winning a minority.

"Our initial research question at that time was 'Is Alberta as Conservative as everybody says it is?'," said Wesley. "we just come off four years earlier with the first New Democratic government (under Rachel Notley) in power and the party system had completely shifted and we saw the emergence of a two party system for the first time ever here in Alberta."

The answer to that question brought up another bit of information, one that really seemed to surprise him.

"In our first run out of surveys after the federal election in 2019 was this sudden spike in separatist supports, according to our survey, and it was our first survey, you know, 30 per cent of Albertans said that they were prepared to vote to leave the country."

Wesley is the lead of Common Ground, an initiative that examines the changing nature of Alberta through research.

One of the things the team there has been looking into is how the Overton window has shifted by asking someone how they feel about politics in the province right now.

"How does Joe Albertan feel about politics these days? And Joe has become, this summer, increasingly likely to view separatism in a favourable light," said Wesley. "He still doesn't think that it's possible. He still doesn't see it as being a realistic venture. But he's now open to considering the merits of separatism to the same extent as he's open to considering the merits of Confederation."

Polling seems to suggest the vote on Alberta's future in Canada will be one overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in Confederation.

What is less known at this time is how people will vote on the other nine questions, which asks voters about Senate reform, judicial reform, and limiting the use of public and social services to immigrants.

"What I do know is that most don't even know that those other questions are on the ballot," said Wesley.

Wesley says all 10 questions are important for Premier Danielle Smith, whom has said publicly that its a reason to give the soft separatists a reason to stay.

However, the nine immigration and constitutional questions do give Wesley some pause.

"My worry about the other nine questions, especially the immigration questions, is that those are targeting real people, right?," he said. "Those folks spend money in our communities. They are not only working in the private sector, but also the nonprofit sector and the public sector."

Albertans will cast a ballot on all 10 questions on Monday, Oct. 19.

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David Boles, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, St. Albert Gazette.