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Discontent with federal policies has sparked separatist sentiments in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. On Monday, Probe Research released a poll showing that 22% of Manitoba residents would vote in favor of separating from Canada if an independence referendum were held.

Conducted with interviews of 1,000 people and a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, the survey indicates that up to 70% would vote to remain in Canada. It also reveals that support for separation is strongest in rural areas and among conservative voters.

The results reflect a similar trend in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In these western Canadian provinces, separatist sentiment has grown in recent years, particularly among conservatives frustrated with federal government policies.

That frustration intensified after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party won the April 28 election, causing disappointment among conservatives who have been out of power since 2015.

Currently, Alberta — one of Canada’s wealthiest provinces and the source of 84% of the country’s oil production — is the epicenter of the separatist movement. A poll published in late May indicated that 30% of Alberta residents support independence, up four points from 2021.

In fact, Alberta now shows significantly stronger support for separatism than Quebec did when it held independence referendums in 1980 and 1995. This sentiment is growing amid accusations that the federal government is sacrificing Alberta’s prosperity in favor of Ontario and Quebec.

Alberta’s separatist movement plans to hold a referendum in 2026. In May, it unveiled the proposed question for the vote: “Do you agree that the province should become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?”

The proposal gained momentum after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a conservative, moved to lower the requirements for holding referendums and announced she would not oppose its organization. Ahead of the April 28 election, Smith voiced her opposition to a potential Liberal victory and has since justified the western provinces’ frustration following Carney’s win.

London, Jul 6 (Prensa Latina) The British Chancellor, David Lammy, announced today the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Syria during a historic visit to Damascus, in a turn in Western foreign policy towards this Arab country after more than a decade of conflict.

According to the Sky News portal, this is the first visit by a British minister to Syria in 14 years, following the removal in March of the Syrian Central Bank and 23 entities in the Arab nation from Western sanctions lists.

The UK has maintained a tacit recognition of the current Syrian government following the departure of Bashar al-Asad in 2023.

Lammy justified the move by pointing out that it contributes to stabilizing the region, will facilitate the fight against terrorism and will enable irregular migration to be controlled.

The UK is expected to appoint an ambassador to Damascus in the coming months and Syria is expected to gradually access international funding.

The bill allocates $75 billion to ICE and border operations, $45 billion to detain immigrants (including minors), and $69 billion for border wall construction. The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved President Trump’s controversial $1.3 trillion fiscal package, with a 218-214 vote after intense overnight negotiations. The bill redistributes wealth toward billionaires while cutting food aid for 5 million vulnerable Americans and stripping healthcare from 12 million.

House Speaker Mike Johnson faced a Republican rebellion, led by the conservative Freedom Caucus, which demanded guarantees on future amendments. A procedural vote was extended for hours as leaders negotiated with holdouts. Trump personally intervened, holding urgent meetings with dissenting lawmakers.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries staged a historic 8-hour, 44-minute filibuster to protest the bill, setting a new House record. Despite his efforts, the legislation passed, marking a key political victory for Trump ahead of his self-imposed July 4 deadline.

The bill makes Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent and adds new breaks, eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits. However, it slashes food assistance for nearly 5 million people and reduces elder care services, disproportionately impacting low-income families.

Medicaid reforms impose work requirements and cut federal cost-sharing, projected to leave 12 million uninsured over the next decade. Meanwhile, the plan adds $3.25 trillion to the national debt while granting $1.3 trillion in tax cuts to billionaires.

It allocates $75 billion to ICE and border operations, $45 billion to detain immigrants (including minors), and $69 billion for border wall construction. The bill also eases regulations on firearm silencers, drawing criticism from public safety advocates.

A temporary raise of the state/local tax deduction cap to $40,000 (reverting to $10,000 after five years) was included, along with a $5 trillion debt ceiling increase. Johnson hinted at a second reconciliation package later in 2025, signaling a broader fiscal strategy.

Only two Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill. Trump plans to sign it by July 4, enacting one of the most polarizing fiscal overhauls in recent U.S. history. The White House claims deficit reduction, but critics dismiss these projections as unfounded.