Albertans are scheduled to vote in person on Oct. 19 on a set of questions, including whether to hold a second binding referendum on leaving Confederation.
The Story
With an Oct. 19 vote on Alberta separation approaching, several Albertans say tension is rising in homes and workplaces as families prepare to gather and try to keep politics off the dinner table.
Sarah Batchelor, a music teacher in Airdrie, says she plans to vote to stay in Canada and intends to keep the conversation away from her home’s Thanksgiving meal this weekend. She said, “At the end of the day, when we sit down, we’re not that far apart on a lot of the concerns,” adding that while people may disagree, “We’re just very divided on where the blame should be placed.”
In Sylvan Lake, Kathy Bradshaw said the vote has made interactions more difficult, describing it as “a little tense.” The 64-year-old said she has already voted to remain in Canada and expects people to be careful with their words as the referendum nears, including in her office.
Bradshaw said some colleagues who have been working with her for decades plan to vote to leave, and she described how disagreements sometimes take the form of frustration with how the process is framed. “People say to me, and this I find the most ridiculous, ‘I don’t want to separate, but I want to send Ottawa a message,'” Bradshaw said. She replied, “And I keep saying to them, ‘If they know the gun is fake, why do you think the teller is going to hand over the money.'”
In Edmonton, Sheree Zielke, 71, said tension has also shown up with her neighbour. Zielke said she wants to see an independent Alberta and described less contact and fewer arguments between them. “(We) don’t talk as much, let’s put it that way. There’s no arguments.”
Batchelor said the debate has been overwhelming and has affected how she manages daily interactions. “I’m feeling more dysregulated just because of the extra stress and having to navigate those conversations carefully at (my work) and even within my home.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith ordered the separation vote in May, and some disputes have surfaced in smaller communities since then. In June, a rodeo parade in Sundre, northwest of Calgary, was cancelled amid threats and abuse after parade organizers rejected a float festooned with Alberta flags they feared would be viewed as a political statement. Later that month, a pro-separation billboard in Taber drew attention after separatist Cory Morgan refused to take it down despite a town order citing a public nuisance.
The referendum will put Albertans to vote in person on 10 questions. The 10th and most debated question asks whether they want to stay in Canada or have a second, binding referendum on leaving Confederation.
Smith has said she supports Alberta staying in Canada and plans to vote that way. She has also said hundreds of thousands of people have signed petitions both for and against separation, and that it is time to put the issue to rest.
Lara Descartes, a family studies professor at Ontario’s Western University, offered advice to people feeling nervous about tense conversations. She said, “Lower your expectations,” and added, “Don’t expect it to be perfect.” Descartes said differences are normal, saying, “People are their own individuals with their own histories and beliefs,” and that acceptance can help people manage their own emotional state.
Archbishop of Edmonton Stephen Hero, one of five Catholic bishops in the province, recently sent a letter to parishioners that called on them to cast a vote while considering the potential impact on vulnerable people. The Oct. 1 letter alluded to questions on immigration, including whether the government should have more authority to impose limitations and financial guardrails around some newcomers. Hero’s letter said Catholics may reach different conclusions, but that, “whatever the outcome, our responsibilities to one another will endure.” In a recent interview, Hero said the referendum is polarizing and urged people to be respectful of each other’s decisions, saying, “(To) love one another, and not let it divide us, whatever happens.”
← More stories