Albertans must push back against separatism
By Lethbridge Herald on June 6, 2025.
Bill Whitelaw
Troy Media
Talk of Alberta breaking away from Canada is no longer just background noise. It’s getting louder, more organized, and too many reasonable Albertans are staying quiet. Their silence only emboldens the “manifest destiny” crowd.
The voices pushing for Alberta’s separation need to hear an important truth: the vast majority of Albertans love this province and love its place in Canada.
We need to say that out loud.
Separation sentiment in Alberta tends to flare up when frustration with federal policies, particularly around energy, equalization and what’s seen as a lack of respect for Alberta’s contributions, reaches a boiling point. Recent debates over pipelines, climate rules and regional fairness have reignited calls for independence in some quarters.
After a few too many run-ins with people bent on breaking up the country, here are some general notes on Alberta’s separation anxiety and those afflicted by it.
As with most movements, this one covers a wide range of views. Some people live and breathe the idea of Alberta as its own country. Others (more reasonably) want significant structural change, still within Confederation.
But my concern is with those at the far end of the growing Alberta independence movement:
• Most have little grasp of Canadian or Alberta history, or how deeply the two are fused. One man I spoke with insisted Alberta was “never truly part of Canada to begin with,” seemingly unaware of the constitutional history that brought us here.
• Many cling to generic descriptors—“hard-working,” “visionary,” “entrepreneurial”—as if these define a uniquely Albertan identity. They don’t. These qualities are common across Canada.
• There’s a fixation on Alberta’s energy wealth as the foundation for a new republic, rising like a phoenix from the ashes of today’s industry. The assumption: the world will line up to buy from a sovereign Alberta. Pipelines and access to tidewater (routes to coastal ports for export) are treated as Alberta’s birthright. The interests of others be damned.
• This reflects a shallow grasp of how economies and investment actually work, let alone the complexity of creating a new nation-state. That’s perhaps the most troubling part of the delusion.
• There’s also a deep and immovable belief that eastern Canada is entirely to blame for Alberta’s woes. Not just Ottawa: Ontarians, Quebecers, Maritimers. Anyone who questions the narrative is told to “go back to Ontario.”
• Then there’s the glaring lack of engagement with First Nation treaty rights, and no recognition of how central those rights would be in any attempt to redraw political boundaries.
• Finally, the echo chamber. These voices feed off one another online, fuelling grievance and reinforcing their worldview until it starts to feel inevitable.
But here’s the reality: the majority of Albertans don’t support separation. A 2021 Angus Reid Institute poll found just 28 per cent said Alberta should pursue independence.
That leaves the rest of us, mainstream middle-ground Albertans, with a responsibility.
Stand up to the separatists.
They’re coming for you, and they live by one guiding principle: “If you’re not for us, you’re against us.”
It’s time to show that Albertans still stand united behind a united Canada.
Bill Whitelaw is a director and advisor to many industry boards, including the Canadian Society for Evolving Energy, which he chairs. He speaks and comments frequently on the subjects of social licence, innovation and technology, and energy supply networks.
© Troy Media
23-22
I do not want to separate from Canada but Alberta is not treated well by Ottawa after all the economic supports it has provided for Canadians for decades and is not treated fairly according to the Constitution.
I was angry decades ago when Quebec wanted to separate, again and again and again, but it appears to have made them one of the most spoiled provinces in Canada, with extra funding from Equalization payments when they thrive, propping up corporations such as SNC-Lavelin, Bombardier, hydro, etc., with them getting special treatment constantly.
Alberta has contributed more than any other province over decades by employing Canadians in our oil and gas industry, coast to coast to coast and was heavily taxed in many areas in doing so.
I believe our Premier when she says she doesn’t want to separate, but she also needs to listen to the electorate!
After 6 decades on this planet, living in Canada, I have never seen a more divided country, full of hate groups who burn our flag or disrespect our children by putting books in libraries showing sexually explicit acts such as oral sex, or those who scream death to Canada and we are Hamas on our campuses and media who constantly report propaganda from terrorist groups without taking the time to verify its truthfulness.
Canada is ripping itself apart because of poor leadership and failed experiments and our Premier is only trying to protect Albertans!
If you think it is okay for a grade 4 child to not know if they are male, female or a cat or squirrel or other animal, or has already been filled to hate towards certain races, colours, religions, etc, as we now witness, or children 10 years old able to get access to free “safe supply” opioids or other drugs without the parent be informed, and just ignore all of these destructive societal issues, then that is why Canada is failing and divisive!
Not because of our Premier who has fought hard for our province!
meanwhile the Gov’t of AB study is released. This is horrible.
Separate from Danielle Smith and the UCP and stay in Canada:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/alberta/coal-mines-on-albertas-eastern-slopes-could-push-fishery-beyond-recovery-study/article_8e7b16de-e5e7-55c9-8abd-5ab1fbd0008d.html,
We won’t see anymore pipelines going west or past Manitoba with the Carney interprovincial trade agreement since Carney said he won’t force pipelines on anyone or any other interprovincial trade that a province won’t allow so where is this energy corridor you promised? I can see trade barriers and counter trade barriers coming!
Smoke and mirrors – just like Carney told BC one thing regarding pipelines and Quebec the reverse on pipelines. As the American First Nations used to say “He speaks with a forked tongue” . . .
BOHICA – – No wonder Albertan’s are frustrated!
Leger Poll May 2025-
-29% of Albertans support the idea of Alberta becoming a country independent of Canada, while 67% are opposed to that idea.
-17% of Albertans support the idea of Alberta becoming a U.S. state.
-35% of Albertans support the idea of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Manitoba forming an independent country.
-58% of Albertans say that actions by the federal government could influence their views on Alberta’s political future within Canada.
-62% of Albertans believe that people in other parts of Canada do not understand the reasons why some Albertans feel alienated from the rest of the country.