EDMONTON — Alberta independence supporters gathered in Edmonton on Saturday, expressing optimism and declaring the movement a success regardless of Monday's referendum results. More than 1,500 Albertans attended the Let Alberta Decide rally outside the Alberta Legislature Building, where they listened to numerous speakers make the case for why an independent Alberta is necessary and how it could prosper.However, with only two days remaining before Albertans vote on whether the provincial government should pursue a binding independence referendum, many acknowledged that much of their work ahead of the vote is already done.Let Alberta Decide third-party advertiser co-leader Tanya Clemens reflected on the progress the independence movement has made over the past year, comparing Saturday's rally to a similar event held one year earlier."I was standing in front of 1000s of people, which isn't exactly where a grain farmer from southern Alberta would expect to find herself," said Clemens. "But I had this overwhelming feeling that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, and that we were exactly on the path that we were supposed to be on.""And when I look at all these Alberta flags, I feel something that I didn't feel before. I feel hope, and here we are, one year later, bigger and better, and loving harder on Alberta.".The TPA's other leader, Keith Wilson, echoed Clemens' comments about the movement's progress, emphasizing the awareness it has generated."Think about the hundreds of 1000s of Albertans that now know that we actually have a legal pathway to independence, a legal pathway to change our relationship with Ottawa," said Wilson. "A pathway set out by the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1998 succession case, and that's an achievement in its own right.""Because people used to say, 'Well, you just can't do it,' and now we've even gone further. More and more Albertans see why it makes perfect sense. It makes perfect sense for Alberta to change the constitutional relationship with Ottawa."UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who spent the week in Edmonton for an event, appeared at the rally after making several supportive comments throughout the week."You contribute more than your fair share to this government, and what do you get back? High taxes," said Strickland. "You don't get a voice in this government. You get stepped on.""We always like to hope. We like to hope for change. Maybe next year they'll listen to us. Maybe next year, if we scream loud enough, we will have a voice. You guys don't have to hope anymore. You have a chance to change it and get your freedom back. Godspeed, freedom to Alberta.".Despite the awareness the movement has generated, polls indicate that most Albertans will vote to remain in Canada rather than support the provincial government pursuing a binding independence referendum.Some federalists have argued that a victory for Option One on Monday would be a loss for the independence movement and could bring it to an end. However, nationalists say they are not going away."We've got the vote coming on Monday," said longtime Alberta independence advocate Cory Morgan. "We'll see what happens. We're moving the right way. If it's 10% or it's 90% people keep asking me, 'What are you going to do the day after?' Well, I do the exact same thing I always have.""I'm going to pursue Alberta's independence and nothing less. That's why we're here today. That's what we'll do next week. That's what we'll do next month, and we're going to do it until we're independent."Morgan also urged Albertans to remain civil after what he described as a "personal" campaign, regardless of how the referendum ends."There were so many horrible things that happened over the COVID times, so many, but one that I hated the most was seeing families splitting up, friends splitting up, coworkers over something that was a policy issue," Morgan said."If you've got somebody in your family on the other side, a friend, don't lose the relationship over it. Talk sports or something. It's so important."
