Subhead:There is currently no law that would strip Alberta residents of their Canadian citizenship if the province were to separate from Canada.#
One of the latest fear campaigns against Alberta independence is the claim that Albertans could have their Canadian citizenship or passports cancelled if the province ever became an independent country.
That’s not what the law says.
In an interview with Town & Country Today, a University of Alberta law professor acknowledged that if Alberta ever separated, “something will have to happen” regarding citizenship. In other words, there is no existing law that automatically strips Albertans of Canadian citizenship. Citizenship would have to be negotiated between Alberta and Canada as part of any separation agreement.
Nor would Alberta be entering uncharted territory. Around the world, countries that have peacefully gained independence have negotiated citizenship arrangements for their residents. In many cases, people retained their existing citizenship, became eligible for citizenship in the new country, or held dual citizenship. The details differed from country to country, but there is no universal rule that citizens automatically lose their nationality when political boundaries change.
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