Edmonton, Alberta– Hundreds gathered outside the Alberta legislature on Saturday to show support for the province’s potential separation from Canada, a movement fueled by years of dissatisfaction with federal policies and the recent election outcome. Among the rally-goers was Katheryn Speck, who described her past Canadian patriotism but now feels disillusioned by what she perceives as a lack of representation for Alberta.
“I thought it was a beautiful, fantastic country. But now I’m so disappointed. I’m literally crushed that we’ll never be represented in this country and there’s never a chance of changing the government,” Speck said.
The rally comes on the heels of a significant proposal from Premier Danielle Smith’s government to lower the threshold for holding a referendum on Alberta’s potential separation. While Smith remains non-committal on what questions might appear on the ballot, the legislation would make it easier for Albertans to initiate a vote on secession. This development follows the recent federal election win by the Liberal party, which many in Alberta see as further evidence that their concerns are being ignored at the national level.
Speck pointed to the 1980s National Energy Policy as a key turning point in her diminishing pride for Canada, with a decade of Liberal policies, she claims, further hindering Alberta’s energy sector.
“Once the votes are counted in Ontario, the election is over. We don’t matter. We never matter,” Speck remarked, echoing a sentiment shared by many at the rally.
For 17-year-old rally attendee Hannah Henze, the outcome of the federal election was the final straw. “If Poilievre had won, I feel we’d have a lot more hope than a third or fourth Liberal term, which is just going to ruin our country,” Henze stated.
Leo Jensen also voiced frustration over the perceived neglect of Alberta’s oil and gas industry. He noted that while Canadians worry about losing auto manufacturing jobs due to U.S. tariffs, Alberta’s energy sector seems to be largely ignored by the rest of the country.
“I don’t see how a province like Quebec takes all of our dirty money, but they won’t let a dirty pipeline go through Quebec to aid an oil refinery in New Brunswick,” Jensen said.
However, the rally was met with opposition from a smaller group of counter-protesters, many of whom held signs arguing that separation would violate existing treaties with First Nations. Piikani Nation Chief Troy Knowlton issued a statement this week affirming the importance of treaty rights and warning against Alberta’s attempts to alter or disregard them.
Premier Smith addressed these concerns in a radio show, reiterating her commitment to respecting treaty rights. “Everything I do is changing Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa. First Nations have their own relationship with Ottawa and that’s enshrined in treaty. That does not change,” Smith stated.
In March, Smith threatened a “national unity crisis” if the next prime minister failed to meet her demands, but she has since emphasized that she envisions a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.
Despite opposition, rally-goers like Susan Westernaier were resolute in their belief that Alberta would thrive as an independent province. “We have the oil, we have the resources. We’re fine,” Westernaier said, suggesting that the recent federal election was rigged.
