Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Tech Style & Beauty Kitchen & Dining Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaCanadian PoliticsThe debate may be loud, but separatist fears are cooling in Canada: pollJust 26 per cent of respondents to an Association for Canadian Studies survey said they were worried about Alberta, and fewer still said the same of Quebec You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Alberta separatism supporters rally in front of the Elections Alberta headquarters in Edmonton, on May 4, 2026. A new poll finds despite the political turmoil of late and ahead, Canadians are becoming less worried about Alberta and Quebec separatism. Photo by Henry Marken/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite a year that included referendum threats, court battles and renewed sovereignty rhetoric, Canadians appear less worried about the prospect of Quebec and Alberta separatism than they were a year ago, a new poll revealed.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorAccording to a survey conducted for the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS), concern over separation has cooled somewhat since last spring, with respondents appearing to view both movements with less urgency than those who were polled in May 2025.During that survey, when asked if the threat of separation should be taken very seriously, 52 per cent of all people said yes for Alberta and 42 per cent agreed for Quebec. Agreement was highest among those provinces’ respondents — 63 per cent of Albertans and 47 per cent of Quebecers.“I think there was more fever about this thing at the time,” ASC President Jack Jedwab told National Post.“I think that’s diminished, and people are now, in particular in Quebec, beginning to feel that they’ve seen this film before. Whereas in Alberta, there’s still a bit more of the imponderable or uncertainty about where this is all going.”While the question was worded differently in the most recent poll — “Are you worried about the threat” of either province’s separation from Canada — a subsided concern was evident.Just 26 per cent of all respondents said they were worried about Alberta, and only 18 per cent said the same of Quebec.Jedwab also attributed some of the lowered concern to recent political and legal developments, namely the Alberta Court of King’s Bench decision to strike down the Stay Free Alberta petition to force a referendum on separation, ruling that the province failed to consult First Nations on treaty rights implications, which came just before the poll was conducted.Premier Danielle Smith later said this October’s referendum would be modified to ask citizens whether the province should remain a part of Canada or begin the legal process to hold another referendum on separation. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks at a press conference at McDougall Centre in Calgary. Photo by Dean Pilling /PostmediaRegardless, Jedwab said, “it feels more diluted in terms of what it might have been prior to the machinations of the past two weeks.”As for Quebec, Jedwab thinks the reduced unease is partially a result of the Parti Québécois losing ground ahead of this fall’s general election — the most recent Leger poll, for instance, has them almost neck-and-neck with the Liberals and the Coalition Avenir Québec surging on the popularity of new leader, Premier Christine Fréchette.Jedwab also suggested the PQ has pulled back on sovereignty “being something that would immediately emerge in the event of election victory.” In his view, it’s a subject that would come up later.“You have to have an election first and we don’t know after the election what the timing would be, whereas the Alberta one is very fixated on something that’s going to happen in October,” he said.Albertans were the most likely to express concern about their province separating (39 per cent), while Anglophones in Quebec (41 per cent) are most anxious about theirs.The results also indicate a correlation between concern and a respondent’s geographic proximity to either province.“If you’re in Alberta, you’re going to be a lot less caring of what’s going on in Quebec than you are in Alberta, where the issues are more in your face, presumably, than they are on the other end of the country.”The pattern was reflected in neighbouring provinces B.C. and Saskatchewan, where respondents shared comparatively greater concerns about Alberta separation than Quebec — 29 and 21 per cent, respectively, versus 16 and 8 per cent.The survey also found Indigenous respondents expressed much higher concern about separation movements in both Alberta (42 per cent) and Quebec (29 per cent) than non-Indigenous respondents (26 and 19 per cent, respectively). First Nations Chiefs and supporters rally against an Alberta separation referendum, in Edmonton’s Churchill Square Wednesday April 8, 2026. Photo by Photo by David Bloom“That may be a partial explanation at least for the Indigenous leadership’s move to intervene here, reflecting that higher degree of concern in Alberta and not insignificant in Quebec either,” Jedwab said.“It hasn’t been as much of an issue in the past, but based on what we’ve seen in Alberta, it may be an issue in Quebec at some point down the line again.”Despite the relative decline in anxiety overall, Jedwab reasoned the issue is unlikely to disappear soon, particularly with both votes in October.“There’ll clearly be more to say about this issue,” he said.The poll, conducted by Leger between May 15-17, surveyed 1,511 individuals. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size yields a margin of error no greater than plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.