Alberta's vote tests Canada's unity amid trade war with Washington

Residents of Alberta, a Canadian province with vast oil reserves, vote Monday on whether to hold a future independence referendum, a test for national unity amid a trade war with Washington. Opinion polls show less than 25% of the province's five million people support secession. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has personally campaigned against the separatist movement, warning that turnout will determine the outcome and calling a vote against Canada a "dangerous bluff." The non-binding ballot includes 10 questions, with the key one asking whether the provincial government should be mandated to organize a binding independence referendum. Results are expected early Tuesday morning. The separatist movement, fueled by grievances over federal environmental regulations and feelings of being "robbed," gained traction after a court annulled a previous referendum initiative. Conservative Premier Danielle Smith's decision to hold the vote is compared to David Cameron's Brexit gamble. Carney also faces separatist pressures in Quebec, and experts warn of potential disputes over the result amid AI manipulation and alleged American interference.