During Quebec's independence debates, corporate headquarters left Montreal for Toronto
The Quebec history came up after Alberta's vote, when nearly half of responding Calgary Chamber members said they would consider moving if voters backed a second referendum.
WSJ What's News · Are Americans’ Finances Better or Worse Under Trump?During Quebec's debates over independence, corporate head offices left Montreal, then Canada's financial capital, for Toronto.
That history came up after Alberta voted to remain in Canada, with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation estimating that over three-fourths of ballots supported staying. Amanda Coletta, a Journal Canada correspondent reporting from Alberta, raised the Quebec example as a parallel to what Alberta could have faced.
In June, Calgary's Chamber of Commerce polled its membership, with almost half of respondents saying they would think about moving to a different province should voters favor a second referendum on separation. Research from economists and other scholars warned that independence would bring huge costs, higher unemployment, a smaller economy, and more debt.
Coletta said backing a second referendum path could have created uncertainty, with fears it could chill investment in Prime Minister Mark Carney's nation-building projects to carry exports to new markets and diversify Canada's economy.
Questions people ask
What was Alberta actually voting on?
Albertans voted on whether the province should remain in Canada or start the process toward a second, binding referendum on separation. It followed a months-long debate about separation. The result was not unexpected, with polls predicting a vote to remain.
What are Canada's nation-building projects?
They are projects backed by Prime Minister Mark Carney to carry Canadian exports to new markets. The goal is to diversify Canada's economy and attract investors at home and abroad. Alberta's oil and gas revenues are central to that plan.
Why does Canada want to diversify its economy away from the United States?
President Trump has levied tariffs on Canadian goods and threatened to make Canada the 51st state. That pressure came during a trade war with the United States. Carney has argued Canada needs new trading partners to reduce that dependence.