When it comes to separating Alberta from Canada, residents are against the idea.
A recent poll by Research Co. of 601 Albertans shows that the majority of respondents, 69 per cent, are against separating.
From Dec. 13 to 16, the survey was conducted asking key questions such as if respondents see themselves as Canadians first and Albertans second (60 per cent), plus their thoughts on separation.
One interesting finding that Research Co. noticed in a press release: “Older residents are more likely to believe that the province would be better off as its own country.”
That sentiment of remaining part of Canada hasn’t changed much in recent years.
Three-in-five Albertans (60%) consider themselves “Canadians first, and Albertans second”, while just under a third (31%) claim to be “Albertans first, and Canadians second.” https://t.co/MK6O4i193V
— Mario Canseco (@mario_canseco) December 20, 2018
“The level of support for the idea of an independent Alberta is roughly the same as it was in surveys conducted in 2014 and 2016,” says Mario Canseco, president of Research Co. “Four years ago, with a Progressive Conservative government in Edmonton and a Conservative government in Ottawa, the findings were similar to what is observed in 2018.”
“Albertans aged 55 and over are more likely to place the province ahead of the country (40%) than those aged 35-to-54 (30%) and those aged 18-to-34 (20%),” adds the release.
The questions/statements were posed with respondents able to strongly agree, moderately agree, moderately disagree, strongly disagree or unsure.
The survey breaks down the respondents by gender, age, region and how they voted in the 2015 provincial election. The below results show the highest percentage.
• Alberta would be better off as its own country: 58 per cent strongly disagree
• I really think the views of Albertans are different from the rest of the country: 45 per cent moderately disagree
• I am very proud of the province that I live in: 45 per cent strongly agree
The full data set of the poll can be found at www.research.co.
The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Alberta. The margin of error— which measures sample variability—is +/- 4.0 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
jeff.heyden-kaye@ponokanews.com
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