The ballots have been cast, the referendum has passed, and Alberta is officially staying in Canada. So, it’s over, right? Not really.
Leading up to the referendum, some Albertans questioned whether the people in their lives would make the ‘right’ decision or whether their home would be irreparably changed. All of the political discourse was complicated, uncertain, and scary, and in the middle of all this, students were doing midterms.
“I knew deep down that it wasn’t gonna happen. It was just one of those things, but there was always that little doubt in my mind that told me, ‘What if it does happen?’” said fine arts student Ken Bui.
Just because the poll numbers were in favour of keeping Wild Rose Country as a wild rose province doesn’t mean the impacts of the referendum will simply go away, especially in local politics and our communities.
Students already have a lot to worry about, and the added stress of losing their country was a nauseating proposal for some of them. Business student Carson Janzen spoke about how he considered leaving Alberta if the referendum had passed and potentially missing out on a job he had secured in Edmonton.
“I might have to pack up and probably move somewhere else,” Janzen said.
The referendum added conflict within some people’s social circles.
Janzen said that he got value from having conversations about the referendum with friends.
“I have some really close friends that are for separating,” he said.
“It was a chance to educate them and kinda pick at them — get them to think in a different way or just to question what they believe in, and vice-versa for me too.”
Some students, however, felt that the referendum brought out various levels of passion in people, some who didn’t necessarily have the knowledge to back it up.
“There are people who do care, but aren’t too educated on it and then people who don’t really care, but wanna talk about it anyways,” said bachelor of arts student, Martyn Aeonhare.
“I’ve always kinda known to never trust any politician cause i feel like politicians just say what they want you to hear.”
