Voters in Alberta head to the polls on Monday to decide whether their provincial government should begin the legal process for a binding referendum on leaving Canada. The vote lands at a tense moment, as separatist energy in the province meets a sharp war of words between US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Alberta is rich in oil and holds the fourth-largest proven oil reserves in the world. On Monday, residents will say whether the provincial government should start the legal steps needed to hold a separation referendum that would be binding. A “yes” would not take Alberta out of Canada. It would only set in motion the legal process for a binding referendum, so any actual split would be a long way off. Carney has also entered the debate. In a video released Monday for Canadian Thanksgiving, he accepted that Alberta could leave. He told Albertans that the world has changed, that Canada faces real threats to its economy, security and way of life, and that the country is “stronger together.” He did not name Trump. Even so, the crowd cheered loudly when he talked about cutting Canada’s reliance on the United States. Carney then added a joke: “Careful. They might think that’s election interference.” The line was a reference to U.S. ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, who has accused Canada of possible interference in the American midterms. Axios reported that Carney is treating the moment as a rallying call for Canada’s economic independence and national pride, while pressing for unity at home. Sagar is a journalist with an interest primarily in geopolitics and American domestic politics. Before joining Times Now, he wrote for Republic and Sw... View More