Alberta Premier Advocates for Stronger Canadian Partnership Despite Separatist Movement
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has publicly emphasized her focus on building a renewed relationship within Canada, even as separatist groups in the province continue gathering signatures for a citizen-led referendum on independence. Smith's comments come amid remarks from a U.S. government official suggesting support for Alberta potentially joining the United States.
Premier Smith's Stance on Canadian Unity
During her first public remarks this month on her Corus call-in radio show, Premier Smith told Saturday listeners that Canada has been and will continue to be a "great partner" for the United States across all fronts. "That's the position I take when I speak with U.S. officials," Smith stated. "It's the position I take when I talk with the U.S. ambassador. Let's maintain the Canada, U.S., Mexico trade agreement as it is, and then let's work on getting resolution on the areas where there is dispute."
The Premier addressed frustrations among some Albertans about their treatment within Confederation over the past decade, but clarified that this discontent doesn't translate into a desire to become an American state. "When I talk to people who are frustrated with the way we've been treated for the past 10 years, they don't say, 'therefore, I want to be an American state.' That is not what I am hearing," Smith explained. "They want a new relationship with Canada, and that's what I'm doing."
U.S. Official's Comments and Separatist Campaign
Smith made these remarks when asked to respond to comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told an American alt-right media personality that Alberta represented "a wealth of natural resources" and that Albertans are "very independent people." Bessent suggested Alberta would be "a natural partner for the U.S." and that the United States should "let them come down into the U.S."
Meanwhile, the campaign supporting a citizen initiative petition seeking a referendum on Alberta remaining in Canada has been actively gathering signatures this month. The effort faces a May 2 deadline to collect 177,732 signatures to meet the required threshold for consideration.
Leaders of Alberta's separatist movement, most prominently lawyer Jeffrey Rath, have claimed to have traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. government officials regarding potential political and financial support for an independent Alberta. However, the U.S. State Department has not confirmed these details despite multiple requests from Postmedia over several months.
Perspectives on the Referendum Process
In an interview last month, initiative proponent Mitch Sylvestre described the possibility of Alberta joining the United States as "something neither side wants." Sylvestre noted, "We don't want to go from the Canada Revenue Agency to the IRS. There's no point in that."
On Saturday, Premier Smith said she did not want to pre-judge the outcome of the separatist signature-gathering efforts. "You need to have a pressure release valve on issues that people care about, and this is something that clearly a motivated group of people care about," she commented. "They've got 120 days to see if they can get the number of signatures to put it to a vote, and then we'll decide as a legislature what to do with those once that process is complete."
The Premier's remarks come as she continues to navigate complex intergovernmental relationships while addressing domestic political pressures within Alberta. Smith's emphasis on strengthening Canada's federation rather than pursuing separation reflects her administration's current approach to provincial-federal relations amid ongoing economic and political challenges facing the province.
