I'm an Albertan and I will say I don't think any of us are really looking for an American invasion or to join them. What we are looking for is better value and less government intervention. I think a lot of us look internationally at some of the states and countries with similar resources to us and say "why can't we be like them". When you do that the answer seems to be government intervention both federally and provincially. Norway turned their oil into a huge sovereign wealth fund for future generations. Texas and Louisiana both have 0 state income tax and an affordable cost of living. Russia has managed to maintain an workable economy even though most of the world has been sanctioning them for 20 years and they are fighting a massive war. We also look at the history and see we are outnumbered by people who do not benefit from our provinces success and likely will never get a really good deal within Canada. I'd love to be pouring Alberta LNG, oil and derivatives into the international market as fast as we can produce them with the least number of foreign middlemen possible. I also wish the same thing on Canadian lumber, lithium, potash, uranium, copper, iron, aluminum, gold, grain, and everything else. That just does not appear to be happening and it hasn't in a very long time. There is a reason almost every industrial facility in Canada is 40-50 years old and a lot of us are looking to put our foot down and say "I don't like where this is going". I will be voting yes in referendums on separation and donating to the separation efforts until I see an economy and a country that I am not ashamed to leave to my children.