There’s disappointment and hope among Albertans who supported the idea of independence
These Albertans were keen on Option 2.
asserted
Albertans → ’ → Option
We asked for their thoughts on the referendum results
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We → ask → results
Throughout the referendum campaign, CBC News used First Person writing, community focus groups and small engagement pop-ups to understand why Albertans were planning to vote the way they were.
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they → use → writing
We met many people on both sides of the debate.
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We → meet → debate
Now that the results have come in, with three-quarters of Albertans voting to stay in Canada, we reached out to some of the community members who supported the other side to see how they feel and what they would like to see happen next.
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they → come → what
Vicky Bayford lives in Innisfail, Alta., north of Calgary.
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Bayford → live → Calgary
She's pictured here in her backyard in 2026.
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She → picture → 2026
‘This isn’t a hidden conversation anymore’
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This → hide → ?
Vicky Bayford saw the results when she finished scrutineering early Tuesday morning.
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she → see → results
She had been hopeful, watching numbers near 50 per cent for Option 2 from her polling station in Innisfail, a town of nearly 9,000 people an hour’s drive north of Calgary.
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She → watch → Calgary
Bayford said the provincewide tally of 25 per cent was disappointing, but not surprising.
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tally → say → cent
“I’ve always known this was going to be an uphill battle.”
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this → know → ?
Bayford works in oil and gas, and has been heavily involved with separatism since 2020.
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Bayford → work → 2020
She believes Option 2 lost because many conservatives decided to give Premier Danielle Smith a chance to make changes within Canada.
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conservatives → believe → Canada
But Bayford also believes the last 18 months of work have been a boon to the independence movement, despite the loss.
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months → believe → loss
“This isn’t a hidden conversation anymore like it was when I got involved in 2020,” she said.
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she → involve → 2020
“Now at least it’s on the radar.”
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it → ’ → radar
Friendships were formed as supporters signed petitions and attended town halls.
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supporters → form → halls
Pro-independence organizations will make sure
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organizations → make → ?
that social aspect doesn’t go away, she said.
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she → go → ?
But there is something she does hope will change.
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she → be → ?
Bayford wrote a First Person piece for CBC News during the campaign, and then sat down to discuss it with three other First Person authors on CBC's West of Centre.
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Bayford → write → Centre
“One thing he said really stuck out to me,” she said.
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she → say → me
“He made that comment that, you know, he agreed with a lot of the sentiments that Albertans are feeling, but he didn't know if there was a place for him in [the vision of] Alberta that he was seeing from the leaders of the independence movement.”
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he → make → movement
“That was pretty eye-opening to me,” she said.
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she → open → me
“This movement will never be successful unless we can get the consensus from Albertans that we're all Albertans.”
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we → get → Albertans
“I hope people start being a little more gentle with each other … and now that this is over, that we can just start having more calmer conversations.”
Matthew Morin works in the social service sector and lives in Calgary.
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Morin → hope → Calgary
‘I think the world can become more volatile’
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world → think → ?
Morin, the author that Bayford mentioned, wrote a First Person column for CBC News about how the precarity of life today — and the feeling that those in charge don’t care — is fuelling his interest in independence.
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those → mention → independence
He thought much of the support for separatism in Alberta should be seen as a protest vote.
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much → think → vote
Reached after the referendum, he said that’s why he’s not surprised at the results.
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he → reach → results
“People are angry and that's why the nine questions got over 50 per cent or around 50 per cent.
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questions → get → cent
But they’re not angry enough to look to for separation.”
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they → ’re → separation
“So we'll see where it goes.
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it → see → ?
'Cause I think the world can become more volatile,” he said.
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he → think → ?
“If the government doesn't actually enact any tangible change [to benefit people’s everyday lives], then people will just continue to get more frustrated and angry.”
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people → enact → lives
Post-referendum, political analysts have been wondering how the referendum results will affect Premier Danielle Smith’s leadership, and if the committed separatists within her party will agitate to push her out.
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separatists → wonder → her
Morin is not a committed separatist, but has been a Smith supporter.
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Morin → commit → ?
He door-knocked for her in the last election and joined the UCP so that he could vote for her leadership.
uncertain
he → knock → leadership
“I thought she was grassroots and would make a difference,” he said.
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he → think → difference
…and 56 more, not listed.
The Aporia
