Former Alberta Conservative MP Urges Respect for Separatist Sentiment
A prominent former Conservative Member of Parliament from Alberta is challenging those who label Albertans considering a vote on leaving Canada as traitors. Damien Kurek, who represented the riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, argues that such dismissive rhetoric only deepens divisions and fails to address the real economic frustrations driving separatist sentiment.
Understanding the Roots of Separation Talk
Kurek emphasizes that most Albertans exploring separation are not passionate separatists but rather individuals who feel abandoned by the country. He points to specific examples of economic hardship, including oilpatch workers transitioning from stable employment to precarious contract work and single mothers in small towns who have lost income with declining rig crew traffic.
"They're desperate for hope," says Kurek, who lives in Consort and maintains a 6,500-acre family farm. "They're looking for an opportunity to make a statement. People want Canada to allow them to prosper, to be the country they remember it to be."
The Danger of Dismissive Labels
The former MP criticizes what he calls "the quick leap" to brand separation supporters as traitors or accuse them of treason. He warns that this approach backfires spectacularly, emboldening rather than discouraging separatist sentiment.
"The frustration is real," Kurek states. "For them to be dismissed so quickly only emboldens people. If they're being called terrible names it is not going to help the national unity cause."
A Veteran's Perspective on Changing Canada
Kurek shares a particularly poignant conversation with a veteran under forty years old who expressed disillusionment with contemporary Canada. The veteran explained that voting for separation wouldn't feel like leaving Canada but rather "voting to preserve the things I love about the Canada I remember."
This sentiment reflects what Kurek identifies as a widespread feeling among Albertans that federal policies from a "government that feels far away" are harming their economic prospects and way of life.
Political Context and Future Plans
Kurek previously stepped aside as MP to allow Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to run in Battle River-Crowfoot after Poilievre lost his Ottawa-area seat. The former parliamentarian plans to return to politics, running again in his home riding in the next election.
His riding, which spans a five-hour drive north to south and includes communities like Camrose, Drumheller, Stettler, and Three Hills, represents the heartland of Alberta's current political discontent.
The Path Forward for National Unity
Kurek's central message is that calling separation supporters traitors accomplishes "the square root of squat" to maintain national unity. In fact, he argues it produces the exact opposite effect. The solution, he suggests, lies in acknowledging and addressing the legitimate economic concerns driving separatist sentiment rather than dismissing those expressing frustration.
The former MP's comments come amid visible separatist activity in Alberta, including petition drives at locations like Calgary's Big Four Building where supporters gathered to sign documents calling for a provincial vote on independence.
