Alberta Separatism
Presenter: Richard Dowsett
Please join the Zoom Meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/971381033
Alberta has a long history of dissatisfaction with Confederation based on:
Western Alienation - the belief that central Canada, especially Ontario and Quebec, dominate national politics and benefit economically at the West’s expense.
Unfairness – Alberta’s resource wealth has been siphoned off by Federal Government statute since 1957 (the Equalization program) to benefit other provinces.
Values Differences – Albertan identity has a strong connection to the land, resources and a hard-scrabble individualism that drives it to be more economically conservative, more provincial autonomy-focused and more regionally resentful of federal policy than other provinces.
In periods of economic and social stress, this dissatisfaction has flared up and separatist sentiments have grown. In the 1980’s the National Energy Program triggered mass protests with party candidates and platforms explicitly running on separation. In the period 2015 -2020, the “Wexit” movement, emboldened by the UK leaving the EU, was born with the Maverick Party as its political structure. Though the Maverick party was formally deregistered in 2025, separatist sentiment lives on.
The Situation in Alberta Today
A February 2026 Angus Reid poll found that 29% of Albertans would vote LEAVE if a referendum took place represented by 8% committed to separation and 21% leaning towards it.
The United Conservative Party (UCP) forms a majority government in Alberta with 57% of its members committed (16%) or leaning towards (41%) separation.
The separation movement Stay Free Alberta recently submitted a petition to the government with the hope of having a question added to the 9 current referendum questions in Alberta Referendum 2026. They needed 10% of the number of voters from the last provincial election (or 177 732) on a petition. At the May 2 deadline, organizers say they received over 302 000 signatures. Before these signatures could be verified, a judge from the Alberta Court of King’s Bench suspended the certification process on the grounds that the question wound impinge upon First Nations treaty rights and no consultation with the First Nations had been undertaken.
Premier Danielle Smith and her government have not decided whether to try to ask the separation question by other means nor do they have a clearly stated platform within their own United Conservative Party with 43% of their voters wanting to stay (26%) or listed as undecided (17%).
Discussion Questions
What are the grievances of Alberta separatists? Do Canadians understand them adequately? How legitimate do we judge them to be?
Could an Alberta separatist movement powered by an emotion of grievance and “sending a message to Ottawa” (similar to what happened to the UK during Brexit) achieve more success than one driven by reactions to specific laws or policies of the federal government?
Much of the modern Separatist sentiment stems from Federal government policies on climate change and the environment and how they impact the Oil and Gas industry. All of Danielle Smith’s “Nine Bad Laws” fall into this category. Is there any middle path possible between oil and gas industry development and a commitment to environmental protection and climate change goals?
How far should the Federal government go to mollify Alberta and possibly derail further separatist sentiment? Change the “Nine Bad Laws” that hurt Alberta? Create a team to specifically address Alberta separatism?
Stephane Dion, author of The Clarity Act, a 2000 Canadian law that establishes the legal conditions under which a province can negotiate its secession from Canada, recently said, “I have no patience for separatist blackmail. And when the premier is involved in separatist blackmail, you should say to the premier, I will come with a deal with you if it makes sense for Alberta and Canada but not to mollify the separatists within your own party.” What is your reaction to a policy based on Dion’s thoughts?
The Trump administration has shown support for Alberta separatism with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying that Alberta could find the freedom they are looking for in the US and how Albertan values make them a natural US partner. How concerned are you about US influence in the Alberta separation issue and what it might mean to the existence of Canada for the long run?
Please join the Zoom Meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/971381033