Azadeh Zak

I’m hearing from friends in Alberta that today is actually hitting folks pretty hard. Not the vote to remain, which was a relief, but the other 9 questions. It’s becoming clear that the feeling of unity suggested by the referendum result is undercut by majority support for questions which feature policies that scapegoat migrants. But no amount of punching down by Danielle Smith will fix Alberta’s health care, public education or cost-of-living crises. These are the consequences of years of underfunding, not of newcomers trying to build a life in that beautiful province. Albertans deserve real solutions to the crises they face, not scapegoating that divides us and fuels prejudice. Right now, all Canadians have an opportunity to reject this and say: we stand with migrants facing the brunt of this cynical, negative politics. A united Canada must mean more than just rejecting separation. It must mean actually standing up for all of us — building a movement across our differences to make this a country where everyone can live a life of dignity, equality and belonging.