Albertans frustrated, but not enough to actually separate: poll

EDMONTON – The so-called Wexit movement might be grabbing a lot of headlines but a new poll finds most Albertans want their province to remain a part of Canada.

“One out of four Albertans say they’d vote to separate from Canada,” explained David Coletto with Abacus Data. He said the separation movement remains a minority in Alberta, with his latest survey showing 75 per cent of people in the province want to keep the country united.

Only 18 per cent who responded said they’d be happy with the province separated, another 18 per cent said they’d be “okay with it”.

Should Alberta separate from Canada? Most people polled by Abacus Data say no. (CREDIT: Graph from Abacus Data)

But three-quarters of those polled also say they feel like Alberta is being treated unfairly by the rest of the country in terms of energy and equalization policies.

RELATED: Wexit might be funny but the anger behind it isn’t

“There’s a broad sense of frustration, of alienation,” said Colletto adding that does pose some political challenges for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

If the prime minister can’t address the frustrations and concerns in the prairies, he risks adding fuel to the separation spark.

While most Albertans don’t want to separate, they do say the province is being unfairly, according to Abacus Data. (CREDIT: Graph from Abacus Data)

However, Coletto there is an opportunity for Trudeau as well since most of Albertans don’t want to separate.

“Most Albertans haven’t taken the step yet to say we’re done with Canada. Most believe we can solve this problem.”

Meanwhile, the poll finds most of the separatists are Conservatives. Coletto says this could cause issues for the Tories because it could further brand them as a party of the west when the party needs to grow its base in the east if they want to win the next election.