«I don’t want interference.»
Donald Trump
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told Politico during an on-stage interview at the US-Canada Summit that she fears Donald Trump could interfere in Alberta’s separatist movement, which has gained momentum in recent years.
Ten years
A movement she says stems from what she views as ten years of mismanagement by former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
The separatist movement
As Trump repeatedly raises the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state, Smith clearly fears he could revive the separatist movement she hopes will fade with Justin Trudeau’s departure earlier this year and the arrival of his successor, Mark Carney.
Any foreign interference
Smith’s message was clear: «I don’t want any foreign interference in our politics here,» she told Politico.
Justin Trudeau
Speaking about her meeting with Carney, Smith made her position explicit: «I’ve told Prime Minister Mark Carney that Justin Trudeau created an independence movement in Alberta and he can take the wind out of it.»
The emotion of Albertans
The premier left little doubt about her intention to see Alberta remain within Canada, noting previously that while she «cannot control the emotion of Albertans,» if the referendum question «Do you want to remain in Canada?» were to be asked, she would want «that vote to be Yes».
The Forever Canadian campaign
A major petition is now circulating in Alberta under the banner of the Forever Canadian campaign, launched by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk. The initiative asks a direct question: «Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?»
October 28
To trigger a referendum, the petition requires 177,000 valid signatures, and with more than 230,000 already collected, organizers are aiming for 300,000 before the October 28 deadline to ensure it passes Elections Alberta’s review. If successful, it would not only force a vote but also block any competing sovereignty questions for the next five years.
Smith’s strategy
This effort runs in parallel to Premier Danielle Smith’s political balancing act. While Smith has said she wants Albertans to answer «Yes» to remaining in Canada, she has also aligned herself with groups like the Alberta Prosperity Project that push for a sovereignty referendum. The petition, by pre-empting separatist initiatives, could complicate Smith’s strategy and highlight the province’s deep divide between federalist and independence forces.