Most independence advocates make it clear they are seeking nothing less than Alberta’s full departure from the federation. With the question facing Albertans on October 19 being non-binding and only being a step toward independence rather than a leap into it, many are supporting Option 2 on Question 10 from the perspective of garnering more leverage when dealing with a federal government that is typically hostile to Alberta.

A Globe and Mail column penned by Tyler Dawson was entitled “Don’t buy it when the separatists say the referendum is about leverage.” For many Albertans, though, that’s exactly what it's about. And it appears just holding the referendum has led to gains for the province when dealing with Ottawa.

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During nearly a decade in office, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wasn’t terribly inclined to stop into Alberta aside from during Stampede week when he could play dress up. To be fair, it’s not as if Albertans at large welcomed him or that his presence alone indicates a benefit, but his reticence in stopping by was noteworthy.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has been to Alberta about a dozen times in the last year, including scheduling a cabinet retreat in the province. Liberal ministers are constantly making appearances as well. The visits haven’t been simply socially motivated. They have typically been for policy announcements offering concessions to Alberta and inviting economic development. It’s a rather stark turnaround from the prior Liberal government that typically only announced more ways to shut in Alberta’s economy.

It can’t be pretended that much of the motivation behind the sudden influx of Liberal Party love for Alberta isn’t spawned by the upcoming referendum.

The federal coffers have been wide open as the government is offering spending increases within the military in Alberta, housing grants, new transportation infrastructure spending and, of course, support for building a new pipeline to the West Coast.

People can question the morality of using the threat of secession to gain concessions from Ottawa, though it has been a well-established tactic used by Quebec for decades. It can also be fair to point out that the independence movement is based on much more than trying to gain leverage from Ottawa.

Nobody can claim with a straight face that independence movements aren’t effective in getting positive attention from Ottawa, however. The evidence is clear that in Alberta it’s already working.