Alberta Holds First Separation Referendum as Record Advance Voting Tops 354,000 Alberta is holding its first-ever nonbinding referendum on separation from Canada, with more than 354,000 advance ballots cast over the first two days. Polls show about 70 per cent of Albertans want to stay in Canada. Alberta is holding a nonbinding referendum on separation from Canada, the first time the oil-rich province has ever put the question to the public. More than 174,000 people cast ballots on the first day of advance voting, and over 180,000 voted on day two, according to Elections Alberta spokesperson Michelle Gurney. That means more than 354,000 advance ballots were cast in the first two days alone. The vote takes place as polls have consistently shown most Albertans, about 70 per cent, want to stay in Canada. Roughly a quarter of residents support an independent Alberta. The referendum is nonbinding, but a simple majority in favor of separation could trigger the legal process toward a binding vote.Residents are being asked 10 questions, each with its own color-coded ballot. The last ballot voters see is question 10, on whether Alberta should remain a Canadian province or start the legal process required to hold a binding referendum on separation. The nine other nonbinding questions cover immigration, access to provincial services including education, social care and healthcare, and voter identification requirements.Premier Danielle Smith Backs Remaining in CanadaAlberta Premier Danielle Smith said in May it was time to have a vote, understand the will of Albertans on this subject, and move on, when she announced the government would add a question on separation. Smith said she voted for Alberta to remain in Canada during advance polling, according to a video she posted on social media on Wednesday. Her decision followed months of campaigning by a small but vocal group of separatists.They argue Alberta's energy wealth is subsidizing poorer parts of the country and that bureaucracy in Ottawa has stifled the province's economy. Some members of the group had backed Smith's candidacy for premier. Canada has held separatist referendums before, but not in Alberta. The majority French-speaking province of Quebec held two, in 1980 and 1995.Quebec Referendum History Informs Current DebateQuebecers voted to remain in Canada both times, but by the slimmest of margins in 1995. The separatist Parti Quebecois won a provincial election earlier this month and has pledged to hold a third referendum, but only after U.S. President Donald Trump has left office and if the party holds a majority. The PQ was elected with a minority government on Oct. 5, meaning it will rely on smaller parties to pass legislation.Canada is a federation of 10 provinces and three territories. Ottawa handles matters of national interest such as defense, trade and foreign policy, while provinces and territories hold significant power over medical care, education and land rights. Polls are scheduled to close at 8 p.m. on Monday, which is 0200 GMT on Tuesday. Elections Alberta says it will count ballots by hand and that the question on separation will be counted first.Clarity Act Sets Legal Barriers to SecessionIt will publish results on the Elections Alberta website as they are received, and unofficial results are expected within 48 hours after voting ends. If most Albertans vote to start the process of leaving Canada, Smith has said she will respect the result and quickly begin the process to hold a legally binding referendum. But separation would not happen imminently. After the 1995 Quebec referendum, Canada's Parliament passed the Clarity Act in 2000.It says talks about secession can only be triggered if there is a clear majority from the public, without specifying the necessary threshold. The act also states provinces and territories have no unilateral right to leave Canada and that a constitutional amendment negotiated by provincial, territorial and federal governments is required.First Nations groups have objected to the idea of an independent Alberta, as their land treaties with Canada predate Alberta's entry into Confederation. In May, an Alberta court judge ruled the province's chief electoral officer was wrong to allow separatists to collect signatures requesting a referendum, because the process should have prompted a consultation with Indigenous peoples whose rights might be violated by separation. Alberta has appealed the decision.PM Mark Carney Urges National Unity for AlbertaPrime Minister Mark Carney, who was largely raised in Alberta, has previously said the best place for Alberta is in Canada and that the country cannot succeed if it is divided. He released a video on Canadian Thanksgiving, Oct. 12, saying national unity is critical as Canada fights threats from abroad, including a trade war with the U.S. Carney has campaigned for Alberta to remain in Canada.