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Immigration remains contentious in Alberta following referendum
Immigration proposals passed by 52 to 55 per cent in preliminary results.
The Alberta referendum results last week have been celebrated across Canada as a victory for national unity over separatism. With more than three-quarters of voters rejecting a move towards independence, the outcome has also been hailed as a political victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney.
But beneath the headlines lies a less reassuring result for Alberta's immigrants.
Unofficial returns showed the Yes side leading on eight of the nine other referendum questions, including all five concerning immigration and access to public services.
The votes could strengthen Premier Danielle Smith's as she seeks greater provincial control over immigration and restrictions on services for temporary residents.
For Alhan Arsal, a temporary resident from Bangladesh who is pursuing a master’s degree in international relations at the University of Calgary, the results were disappointing although the rejection of separation came as no surprise.
"I can hardly make ends meet as a student," he said. "Paying more for less health care would put many people off from coming here as students in the future."
Arsal said the results of the referendum "make me uneasy and solidify my conviction to leave the province after graduation."
New Canadian Media previously reported on growing unease among Alberta’s immigrants over the referendum and its anti-immigration rhetoric.
Mixed reactions
Dozie Anyaegbunam is a Calgary-based marketing professional and managing editor of The Newcomers. The online publication and podcast explore immigrant experiences in Canada.
Anyaegbunam said the results were "not that surprising, but nonetheless sad to see."
He said he had hoped the No side would prevail, particularly given how temporary residents — who account for less than 10 per cent of Alberta’s population — had been singled out during the referendum campaign.
"We have a lot of work to do about immigrants and their value to the system in every way," he said, describing newcomers as having been used as a "lightning rod" during the referendum campaign.
Imtiaz bin Hafiz, a lawyer who moved to Alberta from Bangladesh in November 2022 and took his citizenship oath on Oct. 21, said he was also unsurprised by the referendum outcome.
"I expected that a large portion of the people would be in favour of the immigration proposals," he said.
However, he pointed to the narrow margins. With roughly 52 to 55 per cent supporting several of the immigration proposals in the preliminary count, Alberta appeared deeply divided.
"In any case, the majority was in favour of the immigration proposals which will, in my opinion, legitimize these sentiments over immigration in the province," Hafiz said.
For Avnish Nanda, an Edmonton lawyer and co-founder of Our Alberta Advantage, a nonpartisan campaign opposing the referendum’s immigration proposals, the margins also raise questions about the strength of Smith's mandate.
He said the premier had sought overwhelming support for her reforms, while her government spent heavily promoting the referendum.
The province budgeted approximately $4 million for an advertising campaign that included television, radio, online advertising and a booklet mailed to every Alberta household. The government was also permitted to campaign for its preferred outcomes using public funds.
Still, the immigration questions passed by comparatively narrow margins.
"Given that the Alberta government outspent our campaign by 40 to one ... I think she lost," Nanda said.
"The No side may not have prevailed on the immigration questions by a few percentage points, but we went into Monday thinking we would be blown out, and we weren't."
Rhiannon Hoyle, Alberta NDP shadow minister for jobs, economy and trade, acknowledged that the Yes votes reflected genuine concerns about affordability, employment, health care and public services.
"Those concerns are real and deserve solutions," Hoyle said. "But let's be clear: immigrants didn't create Alberta's affordability crisis, and blaming newcomers won't fix it."
Hoyle, who is herself an immigrant, said the government must take responsibility for adequately funding and planning public services.
What happens next?
Anyaegbunam expects immigration to remain politically contentious.
"I don't think we're done with these sentiments," he said. "We'll probably see it used again in the coming election season, given how many people voted Yes on the immigration questions."
However, the referendum questions are non-binding, leaving the government to determine how to proceed.
Nanda fears Premier Smith will intensify her immigration agenda, further dividing the province.
"I think we're going to be deeply polarized around this issue, that's for sure."
Hoyle cautioned against interpreting the results as unconditional approval for the government's plans.
"A referendum is not a blank cheque for Danielle Smith to bypass the Constitution or pursue policies that could harm Albertans," she said.
"The government must explain what is legally achievable, what it will cost taxpayers and what the consequences will be for families, workers and businesses."
Manpreet Tiwana, vice-president of the Alberta Liberal Party and an immigrant, also emphasized the limits of provincial authority.
"Alberta has a role to play, but significant aspects of immigration remain under federal jurisdiction, so any proposed changes will require careful consideration and cooperation between both levels of government," Tiwana said.
Hoyle warned that additional financial barriers could discourage the temporary workers and skilled immigrants that Alberta's economy needs.
"Making it harder for them and their families to access essential services could drive away the very talent Alberta needs," she said.
Hafiz was reluctant to predict how lasting the referendum's influence would be.
"A lot of essential services are provided by immigrants,” he said. “Most people in business realize the importance of immigrants in the economy.
Copyright 2026, New Canadian Media. All rights reserved.
Mubin S. Khan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Canadian Media.
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Industry Minister Mélanie Joly wants to build an aluminum rolling mill in Canada
Joly announces new funding for aluminum sector
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says new federal investments announced Friday are a first step toward reducing the Canadian aluminum sector's dependence on the United States.
Joly, who is also the minister responsible for economic development in Quebec, made the comments in La Baie, Que., where she announced more than $193 million in federal funding for projects at four Rio Tinto facilities in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region and at the Alouette aluminum smelter in Sept-Îles, Que.
“The aluminum industry is much more than an economic driver. It is also a strategic industry for our country and for Canadian sovereignty,” the minister said in her speech.
Citing the economic upheaval caused by tariffs and the unpredictability of the American government, Joly said that “in this new context, we must be able to produce more of what our economy needs right here in Canada.”
She also said the funding is a first step toward strengthening the Canadian aluminum supply chain.
Joly pointed out that the price of aluminum products are inflated first by tariffs when they enter the United States and a second time when that aluminum returns to Canada. The United States imposes a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian aluminum, and since Sept. 8, Canada has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on processed aluminum from the United States, resulting in a total surcharge of 100 per cent.
The Canadian tariff imposed in March 2025 was 25 per cent before Sept. 8.
Joly stressed that the government sees aluminum as a strategic sector for the Canadian economy and that she sees the importance of building rolling mills in Canada.
"It’s not normal that most of our aluminum is processed in the United States and then comes back at a higher cost to our companies," she said.
She said several sectors — including agri-food, beverages, and aerospace — need more processed aluminum and have rolling mill projects of their own.
"We want to be able to produce our aluminum cans here at home; we want to be able to produce our aircraft and aerospace parts here at home; and we also want to attract key investments in aluminum processing for our defence sector," Joly said.
On top of providing financial support to producers, she said the government also wants to work with entrepreneurs interested in developing these rolling mills and take on equity stakes.
Ottawa also wants “to be able to offer procurement contracts, certainly defence-related ones, for key components in the aerospace sector, precisely to create a business model that makes sense for a rolling mill,” Joly stated.
“Economic sovereignty isn’t something you proclaim, it’s something you build."
Canada has nine primary aluminum smelters, eight of which are located in Quebec. The other is in British Columbia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
By Pierre Saint-Arnaud | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Manitoba bans teachers from texting, messaging students on social media
Manitoba bans teachers from messaging students
THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
The Manitoba government is banning teachers from texting with students or messaging them on social media sites.
The province says school employees will still be able to communicate with students on platforms that are monitored by school divisions or other administrators.
Education Minister Tracy Schmidt says the province's directive will help keep kids safe, set expectations for parents and give educators guidelines.
All schools will be required to share the changes with students, staff and families in their communities.
The ban comes after two educators recently lost their teaching certificates for sending inappropriate messages to students.
An investigation by Manitoba's independent education commissioner found that in one case, the teacher engaged in a years-long inappropriate relationship with a student that began in middle school and continued as the student went into high school.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Clodelle répond aux commentaires concernant les circonstances du décès de Karim Ouellet
« On a été une bonne gang à ne pas dormir, être inquiets… »
Dans les derniers jours, plusieurs personnalités publiques ont partagé un lien où leurs abonné.es peuvent leur poser des questions de façon anonyme. La chanteuse et candidate d'OD Dans L'Ouest, Clodelle, a participé au mouvement et a répondu à une question liée aux commentaires qui circulent concernant le décès de Karim Ouellet.
C'est le 17 janvier 2022 que le chanteur de 37 ans a été retrouvé sans vie dans son studio de musique à Québec. Quelques mois plus tard, soit le 22 juin, le rapport d'investigation du coroner est sorti, révélant les circonstances du décès.
« Le décès serait survenu le 15 novembre 2021 », peut-on lire dans le document suite aux résultats obtenus lors du l'autopsie du 19 janvier. La perte de Karim aurait donc été découverte deux mois après son départ, ce qui a suscité plusieurs questionnements chez les fans de l'artiste.
C'est donc lors de la séance de questions et réponses publiée en stories sur son profil Instagram que Clodelle a reçu un message au sujet de ces événements :
« En fait, je ne comprends pas... Tu dis que c'était ton meilleur ami, mais pourquoi n'as-tu pas pris de nouvelles de lui avant qu'il soit retrouvé? Il n'y a aucun jugement dans ma question, seulement beaucoup d'incompréhension [...]. »
Sans trop vouloir entrer dans les détails, la chanteuse a alors répondu que ce genre de propos la dérange :
« Je vais juste frôler le sujet par respect de Karim et sa famille, mais notre ami était malade. Il avait par moments des difficultés à accepter sa maladie et par moment, même prendre soin de lui-même. C'était quelqu'un qui était très fier et très discret.
« Pas longtemps avant sa mort, il a coupé les ponts avec tout son entourage, par choix. Quand je dis tout, c'est tout. On a été une bonne gang à ne pas dormir, être inquiets, se sentir démunis et tristes de ne pas avoir de nouvelles... », a ajouté Clodelle.
Elle a ensuite remercié les gens de conserver leurs jugements :
« Je sais que nous sommes des personnalités publiques, mais on traverse des difficultés aussi et c'est correct de ne pas vouloir tout partager et médiatiser. »
Suite à son départ, plusieurs vedettes québécoises ont tenu à rendre hommage au chanteur à travers différents textes et images. Clodelle a d'ailleurs participé au spectacle hommage Bye Bye Bye Karim le 12 juin dernier aux Francos de Montréal, aux côtés d'artistes tel.les que Ariane Moffatt, Hubert Lenoir, Claude Bégin et le groupe Alaclair Ensemble.