Quebec sovereigntists watch Alberta referendum talk with optimism, disdain

Quebec separatists eye Alberta's push for independence with mixed views, some hopeful, others skeptical of its oil-driven, culturally different motives.

As Alberta flirts with the possibility of a referendum on separation, Quebec sovereigntists are watching with interest — and a healthy dose of skepticism.

Some are hoping a wave of separatist sentiment in Alberta will put wind in the sails of Quebec’s own independence movement, which took a blow in the recent federal election when the Liberals made big gains in the province at the expense of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois.

But others see Alberta’s brand of separatism, grown out of frustration with federal Liberal policies, as so fundamentally different from Quebec sovereignty that it’s hard not to be dismissive.

“In Quebec, we have a nation, a language, a culture, a distinct history,” said Marie-Anne Alepin, president of the Société St-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal, a prominent Quebec nationalist group.

“They want an oil-based future. We have no common goals. We’re not alike.”

Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tabled legislation that would lower the bar for a citizen petition to trigger a referendum. Though she insists she does not support Alberta separating from Canada, she said this week she will hold a referendum on separation next year if a petition meets the threshold, and that she will respect the outcome.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois, has applauded Smith for defending Alberta’s interests. Earlier this week, he drew a parallel between the two provinces, saying they both want self-determination in the face of “abuses of power” by the federal government.

He’s not alone in sensing an opportunity. Frédéric Lapointe, president of the Mouvement national des Québécoises et Québécois, said the debate in Alberta could help “normalize” the idea of separation.