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The day after the re-election of the federal Liberals and a near Conservative sweep in Alberta and Saskatchewan, feelings of frustration in Western Canada were fuelling talk of separation.

The VoteWexit Facebook page, with its motto “The West Wants Out”, went from 2,000 or so members on Monday to 170,000 and counting by late Tuesday afternoon. “Wexit” Alberta founder Peter Downing, a former soldier and RCMP officer, said his group received more than $20,000 in donations and membership fees overnight.

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Downing said his group is pushing for Premier Jason Kenney to call a referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

“The idea of Canada has died in the hearts of many, many western Canadians,” Downing said.

Mount Royal University professor David Taras called the feelings of anger and frustration “very real and very understandable.”

Taras sees Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as having few options following Monday’s election results, other than appointing someone to the Senate who has support in Alberta, then having that person serve in cabinet.