They're right. It is dangerous. It encompasses all races, genders, political stripes and ages.
Alberta GTFO?
- Thread starter Serryah
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Geoff Russ: Alberta separatists can't be ignored if Canada is to survive — National Post
Ottawa needs to get out of the way
It’s not just Alberta flirting with western separatism now: Full Comment podcast — National Post
An electronic billboard ad calling for an independent Alberta is seen in Edmonton in 2019. Torn at for nine years by the divisive Trudeau Liberals, Canadian unity is seriously frayed, with Alberta now preparing for a possible secession referendum. In this episode, Brian Lilley talks with Reform...
Terry Newman: Mark Carney won on phoney values. They won't fix Canada — National Post
Carney's success hinged on an actual, foolish, and unhumble Canadian value — our deep-seated belief that we are somehow better than Americans, partially due to their ambitious natures
Indigenous self-government in Yukon holds lessons for all of Canada
Few know the story of Yukon’s journey toward self-government. But if Canada is serious about reconciliation, it should take notes on the process.
policyoptions.irpp.org
Sohi is clueless just like the rest of them. They don't LISTEN to what's being said. They're just putting their own spin on what wasn't said instead so that people become more afraid. It's disgusting but it works, unfortunately.Calgary, Edmonton mayors call potential separatism referendum ’dangerous’
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Matthew Scace
Published May 10, 2025 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
CALGARY — Alberta’s two big-city mayors say a separation referendum would be “devastating” to their local economies and is a needless distraction during a period in which the country should be focused on unity.
“It is very dangerous talk,” Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “It is dangerous talk for our economy. It’s dangerous talk for our social cohesion. It’s going to tear apart communities.”
Discontent in Western Canada has picked up renewed traction with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals winning a mandate in the recent election and a new bill from Premier Danielle Smith’s government that would make it easier to bring citizen-led questions to a referendum.
The bill would lower the number of signatures needed for a citizen-led referendum on a constitutional question to 177,000 signatures from more than 600,000. It would also extend the time frame allowed for those signatures to be collected to 120 days from 90.
The Supreme Court of Canada has dictated that a province cannot unilaterally separate from the country. A vote to sever ties would send the province and federal government into negotiations over a litany of issues ranging from First Nation treaties to ownership of federal land such as national parks. While Smith has deferred to legal scholars on those questions, constitutional experts have said there is no road map for separation negotiations.
Critics have charged Smith with stoking the embers of separatism during a period in which Canada’s relationship with its closest ally has frayed under U.S. President Donald Trump. Smith, meanwhile, has said the government has been targeting those changes for a long time because it felt the previous bar for signatures was impossibly high.
Earlier this week, Smith told CTV that she doesn’t want to see the separatism movement splinter into a mainstream party like the Bloc Quebecois or Parti Quebecois in Quebec. “If there isn’t an outlet (for frustration) it creates a new party,” she said.
Sohi, who unsuccessfully ran for the Liberals in the federal election and is not running for re-election in Edmonton this fall, said having a referendum on the question of separation would cause “full flight of investment from our communities.”
“I am already hearing from business community members here in Edmonton that are deeply concerned about this question,” Sohi said. “If there were to be a referendum, it will definitely cause full flight of investment from our communities.”
Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and the Business Council of Alberta declined to comment.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said in an interview that lowering the threshold to bring forward a referendum is a distraction during a time when Canada needs to strengthen its economy.
“It creates uncertainty. It creates lack of confidence from investors,” Gondek said. “It’s a dangerous game to play at a time that we should be looking out for ourselves.”
She added that Calgary and other Alberta municipalities have butted heads with the province on many occasions, but they have never considered leaving. Calgary and the provincial government have sparred in recent years over numerous issues, including the fate of the billion-dollar Green Line transit project and a bill granting the province greater control over funding deals between the city and federal government.
“Municipalities in this province have been through a lot. We have been surprised by legislation that has stripped us of abilities to do our job. But not once have you seen a municipality say, ‘I wish to remove myself from the province. I wish to be an independent entity.’ We don’t do that because we know it’s not sustainable,” Gondek said.
“So how on Earth can this province think it’s a good idea to separate from the rest of Canada?”
Calgary, Edmonton mayors call potential separatism referendum ’dangerous’
Alberta's two big-city mayors say a separation referendum would be "devastating" to their local economies and is a needless distraction.torontosun.com
Sorry ‘bout the length (48 minutes), & I haven’t even listened to it myself yet, but it’s the full podcast mentioned above a couple of posts.
Albert introducing Bill 54 Tuesday, & here’s CBC’s take on this (that I also haven’t watched yet):
(YouTube & How realistic is an Alberta separation? | Hanomansing Tonight)
Rookie Liberal MP Corey Hogan fully accepts that the Liberals have a long way to go to build up credibility in Alberta, after failing to grow their seat count in the province.
He adds that one silver lining is that Ottawa-Alberta relations have nowhere to go but up from their dismal state under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
“Anybody who’s ever worked at a job where the boss has changed, can see that sometimes what happened was largely driven by the former boss,” said Hogan.
Hogan said that he’s interested to see how Alberta and the other western provinces are represented in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first post-election cabinet, set to be announced Tuesday.
apple.news
He adds that one silver lining is that Ottawa-Alberta relations have nowhere to go but up from their dismal state under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
“Anybody who’s ever worked at a job where the boss has changed, can see that sometimes what happened was largely driven by the former boss,” said Hogan.
Hogan said that he’s interested to see how Alberta and the other western provinces are represented in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first post-election cabinet, set to be announced Tuesday.
'The boss has changed': Rookie Calgary Liberal MP says he's ready to fight for Alberta's place in Canada — National Post
Corey Hogan said a silver lining is that Ottawa-Alberta relations have nowhere to go but up after Trudeau
Alberta separatist group releases proposed referendum question, plans to push for vote this year
Once the group reaches its petition goal, they plan to push Premier Smith to hold the referendum this year
Author of the article
evika Desai
Published May 12, 2025 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 3 minute read
Jeff Rath with the Alberta Prosperity Project speaks during a press conference at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday, May 12, 2025. The organization’s draft of a referendum question for Alberta independence was released at the event.
Jeff Rath with the Alberta Prosperity Project speaks during a press conference at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday, May 12, 2025. The organization’s draft of a referendum question for Alberta independence was released at the event. Gavin Young/Postmedia
An Alberta separatist group has released a proposed referendum question on sovereignty from Canada, saying they will push the premier for a vote as soon as this year.
That is, if they can garner support from enough provincial residents.
During a news conference Monday, Jeffrey Rath — a lawyer with the Alberta Prosperity Project — pulled a blue provincial flag off an easel, revealing the question printed in large font: “Do you agree that the province shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?”
“It’s not a wishy-washy question like what they had in Quebec,” Rath said, referring to a similar separatism referendum held in 1995 that very nearly saw the French-Canadian province separate from the country.
The question of Alberta separatism returned to the forefront of social debate after Premier Danielle Smith tabled legislation in late April to reduce the threshold for a petition to trigger a referendum.
If passed, the legislation would significantly reduce the number of signatures required and extend the time period for signatures to be collected.
Since the federal election, the APP has seen thousands of people join, according to CEO Mitch Sylvestre. He said the party has received 220,000 pledges, leaving only 177,000 remaining to meet the required number of registered supporters.
“But our goal is to get to 600,000 pledges — to not just get the referendum but to win the referendum,” he said.
Starting Monday with an event at the Astoria Hall, the group plans to hold 50 town halls across the province as part of an Alberta-wide “educational campaign on the rationale and merit of Alberta sovereignty,” Rath said.
“We intend to knock on every door at least twice,” he added, saying that if the group were to “educate” Albertans on the real issues, the province would vote for independence.
The group, which also included Dennis Modry, former heart surgeon and group chair, and former Conservative MP LaVar Payne, painted a vision of Alberta as an independent nation with no regulations from Ottawa, no obligations to eastern Ottawa, lower provincial taxes and zero federal taxes.
Residents of an independent Alberta would see oil and gas development double within five years, a free-market free-trade agreement with the United States, and a flat 10 per cent income and corporate tax, while being able to keep their Canadian passports and Canada Pension Plan entitlements.
“We’d be the lowest tax regime in North America,” Rath said. “Who wouldn’t want to locate their corporate headquarters in Edmonton or Calgary with a flat 10 per cent corporate tax rate and a flat 10 per cent income tax rate? We think we have a robust economic message to sell.”
Dennis Modry and LaVar Payne
Dennis Modry and LaVar Payne with the Alberta Prosperity Project take part in a press conference at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday, May 12, 2025. The organization’s draft of a referendum question for Alberta independence was released at the event. Gavin Young/Postmedia
Once the group reaches its petition goal, they plan to push Smith to hold the referendum this year.
Sylvestre said the premier told him in a call last week that she plans to give Ottawa six months before holding a referendum.
“She says she owes it to Alberta to give it six months and, after that, if she doesn’t come over to our side, then there’s going to be a problem,” he said, adding that if she decides against the referendum vote, she would be acting contrarily to the desires of her electoral base.
The premier has reiterated in previous news conferences that while she would support the outcome of a separatism referendum vote, it does not mean she’s in favour of Alberta leaving Canada.
Since the federal election, Smith has made a number of demands of Prime Minister Mark Carney, ranging from dropping federal energy and climate policies, and changing the federal transfer system within the next six months so Alberta gets more money from Ottawa.
But Albertans won’t be moved by “whatever little box of chocolates Mark Carney can bring to the table,” Rath said, and can decide which is more valuable for them — that or a country without federal regulation or federal taxes.
“They can decide what is more valuable to them.”
DDesai@postmedia.com
![alberta-politics-041225-gya-7-copy[1].jpg](https://forums.canadiancontent.net/data/attachments/27/27405-e6043448218201da918c090a6c801a70.jpg "alberta-politics-041225-gya-7-copy[1].jpg")
torontosun.com
Once the group reaches its petition goal, they plan to push Premier Smith to hold the referendum this year
Author of the article
evika DesaiPublished May 12, 2025 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 3 minute read
Jeff Rath with the Alberta Prosperity Project speaks during a press conference at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday, May 12, 2025. The organization’s draft of a referendum question for Alberta independence was released at the event.
Jeff Rath with the Alberta Prosperity Project speaks during a press conference at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday, May 12, 2025. The organization’s draft of a referendum question for Alberta independence was released at the event. Gavin Young/Postmedia
An Alberta separatist group has released a proposed referendum question on sovereignty from Canada, saying they will push the premier for a vote as soon as this year.
That is, if they can garner support from enough provincial residents.
During a news conference Monday, Jeffrey Rath — a lawyer with the Alberta Prosperity Project — pulled a blue provincial flag off an easel, revealing the question printed in large font: “Do you agree that the province shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?”
“It’s not a wishy-washy question like what they had in Quebec,” Rath said, referring to a similar separatism referendum held in 1995 that very nearly saw the French-Canadian province separate from the country.
The question of Alberta separatism returned to the forefront of social debate after Premier Danielle Smith tabled legislation in late April to reduce the threshold for a petition to trigger a referendum.
If passed, the legislation would significantly reduce the number of signatures required and extend the time period for signatures to be collected.
Since the federal election, the APP has seen thousands of people join, according to CEO Mitch Sylvestre. He said the party has received 220,000 pledges, leaving only 177,000 remaining to meet the required number of registered supporters.
“But our goal is to get to 600,000 pledges — to not just get the referendum but to win the referendum,” he said.
Starting Monday with an event at the Astoria Hall, the group plans to hold 50 town halls across the province as part of an Alberta-wide “educational campaign on the rationale and merit of Alberta sovereignty,” Rath said.
“We intend to knock on every door at least twice,” he added, saying that if the group were to “educate” Albertans on the real issues, the province would vote for independence.
The group, which also included Dennis Modry, former heart surgeon and group chair, and former Conservative MP LaVar Payne, painted a vision of Alberta as an independent nation with no regulations from Ottawa, no obligations to eastern Ottawa, lower provincial taxes and zero federal taxes.
Residents of an independent Alberta would see oil and gas development double within five years, a free-market free-trade agreement with the United States, and a flat 10 per cent income and corporate tax, while being able to keep their Canadian passports and Canada Pension Plan entitlements.
“We’d be the lowest tax regime in North America,” Rath said. “Who wouldn’t want to locate their corporate headquarters in Edmonton or Calgary with a flat 10 per cent corporate tax rate and a flat 10 per cent income tax rate? We think we have a robust economic message to sell.”
Dennis Modry and LaVar Payne
Dennis Modry and LaVar Payne with the Alberta Prosperity Project take part in a press conference at Hotel Arts in Calgary on Monday, May 12, 2025. The organization’s draft of a referendum question for Alberta independence was released at the event. Gavin Young/Postmedia
Once the group reaches its petition goal, they plan to push Smith to hold the referendum this year.
Sylvestre said the premier told him in a call last week that she plans to give Ottawa six months before holding a referendum.
“She says she owes it to Alberta to give it six months and, after that, if she doesn’t come over to our side, then there’s going to be a problem,” he said, adding that if she decides against the referendum vote, she would be acting contrarily to the desires of her electoral base.
The premier has reiterated in previous news conferences that while she would support the outcome of a separatism referendum vote, it does not mean she’s in favour of Alberta leaving Canada.
Since the federal election, Smith has made a number of demands of Prime Minister Mark Carney, ranging from dropping federal energy and climate policies, and changing the federal transfer system within the next six months so Alberta gets more money from Ottawa.
But Albertans won’t be moved by “whatever little box of chocolates Mark Carney can bring to the table,” Rath said, and can decide which is more valuable for them — that or a country without federal regulation or federal taxes.
“They can decide what is more valuable to them.”
DDesai@postmedia.com
Alberta separatist group releases proposed referendum question, plans to push for vote this year
An Alberta separatist group has released a proposed referendum question on sovereignty from Canada.
Carney's new cabinet produced many winners and the losers. Here are a few — National Post
The new cabinet includes many new faces and several notable names who have been left out
Carney will be hoping that Hodgson can soothe relations between Ottawa and Western premiers like Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who have been highly critical of Trudeau’s energy policies.
Curiously interesting…as is this.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday shortly after Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his new federal cabinet, Poilievre was asked whether he was willing to “publicly denounce Alberta separatism and the Alberta separatist movement.”
“I’m against separation. I’m a born and raised Albertan. I love Canada. I think we need to unite this country,” he said.“Albertans have a lot of legitimate grievances. I mean, let’s be blunt. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he opposes Alberta separatism but added that Albertans have a “right to be frustrated” with Ottawa.
Poilievre against separatism but says Alberta has 'right to be frustrated' — Global News
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that he supports a united Canada, but added that 'Albertans have a lot of legitimate grievances.'
“Frankly, Albertans have a right to be frustrated.” Poilievre said Ottawa “can’t tell Alberta to just pay up and shut up.”
“Albertans want to be part of a united Canada, but they deserve to be treated with respect, and they deserve to be honoured for the immense contribution that they make to this country,” he said.
Interesting. I didn’t realize the people of Western Canada were responsible for how others thought about them, regardless of reality or the boots on the ground, etc…
I thought this wasn’t about money, but ok.
I attended a townhall in Edmonton regarding where Alberta goes in the future. I was impressed with the turnout, especially considering the Oilers were playing the same night.
The discussion (yes, there was actual discussions so it's still a "thing") was what should Alberta do now. Separation was discussed, the objects to it, how to go about it, what needs to be considered, who needs to be involved OR how do we get Ottawa to LISTEN to what we have been wanting for decades, what do we do to MAKE them listen etc. The discussions were rational & civil; no one was screaming blue murder about how the east needs to freeze or anything like that.
Various scenarios were made, a lot of which were common sense. All in all, I was proud to have been there to LISTEN & OBSERVE what others were thinking & how we should move forward as a province. The discourse was calm, rational & very informative.
The one thing that EVERYONE agreed with is that SHOULD Alberta go for a referendum, (which is more likely now that the citizens' initiative will be changed to be more practical) that the legacy media, the government & Eastern Canada elites will call Albertans names like spoiled children. We'll be called traitors, racists, bigots, etc. The disinformation will be rampant & the cancel culture will be out in full force. Job losses will happen, information will be rigged against Albertans. It's going to be awful. But it's the ONLY way the "Progressive/regressives" know how to fight. Not by facts, but by name-calling and fear mongering.
So the future is going to be interesting. I'm on the fence quite frankly. I wish & hope that the Feds stop being anti-everything West of Ontario and treat the Western provinces, not just Alberta, with some respect. So far, that's not happened which is why this whole thing has blown up, especially with Alberta.
According to the Block leader, the West has no culture. Huh, who knew? I just don't happen to agree.
The discussion (yes, there was actual discussions so it's still a "thing") was what should Alberta do now. Separation was discussed, the objects to it, how to go about it, what needs to be considered, who needs to be involved OR how do we get Ottawa to LISTEN to what we have been wanting for decades, what do we do to MAKE them listen etc. The discussions were rational & civil; no one was screaming blue murder about how the east needs to freeze or anything like that.
Various scenarios were made, a lot of which were common sense. All in all, I was proud to have been there to LISTEN & OBSERVE what others were thinking & how we should move forward as a province. The discourse was calm, rational & very informative.
The one thing that EVERYONE agreed with is that SHOULD Alberta go for a referendum, (which is more likely now that the citizens' initiative will be changed to be more practical) that the legacy media, the government & Eastern Canada elites will call Albertans names like spoiled children. We'll be called traitors, racists, bigots, etc. The disinformation will be rampant & the cancel culture will be out in full force. Job losses will happen, information will be rigged against Albertans. It's going to be awful. But it's the ONLY way the "Progressive/regressives" know how to fight. Not by facts, but by name-calling and fear mongering.
So the future is going to be interesting. I'm on the fence quite frankly. I wish & hope that the Feds stop being anti-everything West of Ontario and treat the Western provinces, not just Alberta, with some respect. So far, that's not happened which is why this whole thing has blown up, especially with Alberta.
According to the Block leader, the West has no culture. Huh, who knew? I just don't happen to agree.
Buddy, seriously, there’s a reason you’re moved sideways to the Cultural Porfolio & in charge of Left-Handed Quebecois or whatever…so just shut the Hell up already!
Carney also opened the door to make changes to the emissions cap on oil and gas production and to the federal legislation for reviewing projects called the Impact Assessment Act.
During the campaign Carney said he would keep the emissions cap in place.
Canada's oil and gas sector has indicated no desire to build new pipelines under the current regulatory environment and have asked for the cap and the assessment law to be repealed.
Canada must maximize use of existing pipelines before building more, minister says — The Canadian Press
Canadian Culture Minister Steven Guilbeault said Wednesday Canada needs to ma
The old environment minister needs to accept that he’s not the environment minister any longer also.
The problem is not that the Natural Resources department has been standing in the way of natural resource development in this country; the problem has been the environmental regulations that come out of the Environment Ministry. The Environment Ministry is huge now and much larger than it was 10 years ago. It has many more levers over the Canadian economy and the people in the Environment Department seem to be quite prepared to use all of them.
The fact is that we have basically, to be blunt, the kind of a standard issue, downtown Toronto, social justice activist, kind of do-gooder, NGO type person as minister (Julie Dabrusin).
“There is a long history of ‘we have to keep oil and gas in the ground and keep Alberta and Saskatchewan from growing if we’re going to save the planet’. If that’s the approach of the government, then we’re in for a very difficult couple of years.”
Lang, a former chief of staff to two Liberal defence ministers, said his first impression is that there are far too many Trudeau-era ministers in this cabinet.
“I count 11 out of 28 – about 40 per cent of this cabinet are former Trudeau-era ministers. There is no reason for that. Mr. Carney owes none of these people anything. And he had an opportunity here to really show change in this cabinet, and he chose not to,” he said. “It’s more than about optics. It’s about competence.
The last Trudeau government’s great failing was its relative lack of competence in governing. I don’t know how you improve the competence in your governing when 40 per cent of your ministers are from a government that was less than competent.”
Ivison: Carney's cabinet has too many 'downtown Toronto, urban progressives' — National Post
Columnist John Ivison and guests Eugene Lang and Ian Brodie take a deep dive into Mark Carney’s post-election cabinet shuffle
Guilbeault throws cold water on new pipeline, says we have enough already — National Post
Carney said in an interview on Tuesday that he's willing to green light a new oil and gas pipeline if an interprovincial consensus exists
“(Experts) are telling us that probably by 2028, 2029, demand for oil will peak globally and it will also peak in Canada,” Guilbeault told reporters in Ottawa, when asked about whether pipelines will continue to be a source of friction between Alberta and the federal government.
Haven’t they been say’n that peak oil is here or a year or two away for several decades & it still hasn’t happened???
TMX’s total utilization for the last eight months of 2024 was 77 per cent of capacity, according to company documents.
Kent Fellows, an economist at the University of Calgary, said that running pipelines at full capacity shouldn’t be an objective for policymakers.
“There’s no reason to desire any Canadian pipeline run at 100 per cent capacity all the time. A pipeline that is consistently full is like a road that is consistently gridlocked,” said Fellows.
“Minister Guilbeault’s characterization of the current system misrepresents … the economic value of excess capacity that allows for optionality.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Tuesday that she was disappointed by the inclusion of both Guilbeault and his Former Undersecretary (Really?) Julie Debrusin in the Liberals’ post-election cabinet, calling both “anti-oil and gas.”
What the fuck is Canadian Identity? Will it be sponsored by Molson?Minister of Canadian Identity Steven Guilbeault said Wednesday that Ottawa’s stalled progress on oil and gas pipelines isn’t a threat to national unity because demand for pipelines is petering out on its own? Really?
Guilbeault throws cold water on new pipeline, says we have enough already — National Post
Carney said in an interview on Tuesday that he's willing to green light a new oil and gas pipeline if an interprovincial consensus exists
“(Experts) are telling us that probably by 2028, 2029, demand for oil will peak globally and it will also peak in Canada,” Guilbeault told reporters in Ottawa, when asked about whether pipelines will continue to be a source of friction between Alberta and the federal government.
Haven’t they been say’n that peak oil is here or a year or two away for several decades & it still hasn’t happened???
TMX’s total utilization for the last eight months of 2024 was 77 per cent of capacity, according to company documents.
Kent Fellows, an economist at the University of Calgary, said that running pipelines at full capacity shouldn’t be an objective for policymakers.
“There’s no reason to desire any Canadian pipeline run at 100 per cent capacity all the time. A pipeline that is consistently full is like a road that is consistently gridlocked,” said Fellows.
“Minister Guilbeault’s characterization of the current system misrepresents … the economic value of excess capacity that allows for optionality.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Tuesday that she was disappointed by the inclusion of both Guilbeault and his Former Undersecretary (Really?) Julie Debrusin in the Liberals’ post-election cabinet, calling both “anti-oil and gas.”
We don’t have a Minister of Labour anymore, but we have a Minister of Guilbeault…I mean, Canadian Identity, which is as easy to identify and justify as the Minister of Middle Class, which doesn’t have a definition in Canada, so…at least it’s consistently inconsistent?
Braid: Quebec's $129-billion equalization bonanza — the idiocy is finally sinking in
True reform will never happen without widespread political will. Finally, that seems to be developing
He alo said there are no private investors clambering to build pipelines in Canada. Couldn't be because of the no pipelines act, could it?