All Things AB Separatism (split fm Liberal Minority Government 2025 - ???)

[Halifax Tar]

I would rather figure out how to make Albertans less bitter with the rest of the country. Quebec separation makes more sense to me: they have a different language, a different founding, a different system of law, slightly different culture. They have a distinct identity. While I don't think they SHOULD separate, at least I understand the sentiment. Albertans are just pissed because they believe they are getting hosed. If you look up the top complaints Albertans have, the majority of them either directly or I directly refer to the oil and gas industry. That can't be all that Albertans are about.

I agree with the highlighted part.

I'd like to find a way for all regions to see themselves as equal players and find equal value in this amazing country.

 

[Lumber]

I agree with the highlighted part.

I'd like to find a way for all regions to see themselves as equal players and find equal value in this amazing country.

Yes however, but I believe that Albertans already are equal players in the country and get as much good and bad treatment from the federal government as any other province. I just think Albertans, like all people, are easily manipulated. The rich and political elite out west dont actually care about the well being of everyday Albertans. They have feed them bullshit and convinced them the O&G is the only thing that matters, and are using their subsequent anger to pressure Ottawa, cohesiveness of the country be damned.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Albertans are just pissed because they believe they are getting hosed.

Albertans are constantly talked down to, reduced to stereo types, and used as a political foil by political leaders.

Trudeau senior was dismissive of Albertan grievances at best, and contemptuous at worse.

Chretien wasn't much better, neither was Trudeau the lesser.


Laurentien elite have a history of talking down to Alberta and Albertans.

That on top of feeling like they're being taken advantage of and seeing the kid gloves (paid for by Alberta) that Quebec gets treated with seems like a good recipe to be fed up.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Yes however, but I believe that Albertans already are equal players in the country and get as much good and bad treatment from the federal government as any other province. I just think Albertans, like all people, are easily manipulated. The rich and political elite out west dont actually care about the well being of everyday Albertans. They have feed them bullshit and convinced them the O&G is the only thing that matters, and are using their subsequent anger to pressure Ottawa, cohesiveness of the country be damned.

Ok.

 

[QV]

I would rather figure out how to make Albertans less bitter with the rest of the country. Quebec separation makes more sense to me: they have a different language, a different founding, a different system of law, slightly different culture. They have a distinct identity. While I don't think they SHOULD separate, at least I understand the sentiment. Albertans are just pissed because they believe they are getting hosed. If you look up the top complaints Albertans have, the majority of them either directly or I directly refer to the oil and gas industry. That can't be all that Albertans are about.

This sentiment, that one group of people are viewed and treated differently, is a big reason.

The empathy towards the Quebecois vs the absolute contempt and dismissiveness for Albertans.

 

[JLB50]

This sentiment, that one group of people are viewed and treated differently, is a big reason.

The empathy towards the Quebecois vs the absolute contempt and dismissiveness for Albertans.

Regardless of their intentions, if they were successful in leaving Canada the Americans would swallow them up in no time. There’s no way the Americans would ever allow two or three independent countries on their northern border. No way. I think the Alberta separatists know this and secretly (or not so secretly) want to join the U.S. but suspect that their Quebec counterparts are living in dreamland and assume their different language and culture will protect them from takeover. Or as Ben Franklin famously said, “We must all hang together or…”

 

[QV]

Regardless of their intentions, if they were successful in leaving Canada the Americans would swallow them up in no time. There’s no way the Americans would ever allow two or three independent countries on their northern border. No way. I think the Alberta separatists know this and secretly (or not so secretly) want to join the U.S. but suspect that their Quebec counterparts are living in dreamland and assume their different language and culture will protect them from takeover. Or as Ben Franklin famously said, “We must all hang together or…”

If you want to theorize US intentions allow me to suggest this; the US wants to reduce or eliminate a significant CCP influence on its Northern border and an independent Alberta would resist that far more than Canada currently does now.

 

[JLB50]

If you want to theorize US intentions allow me to suggest this; the US wants to reduce or eliminate a significant CCP influence on its Northern border and an independent Alberta would resist that far more than Canada currently does now.

And Alberta as the 51st state would resist it far more than an independent Alberta. Divide. Then conquer.

 

[Lumber]

Albertans are constantly talked down to, reduced to stereo types, and used as a political foil by political leaders.

Trudeau senior was dismissive of Albertan grievances at best, and contemptuous at worse.

Chretien wasn't much better, neither was Trudeau the lesser.


Laurentien elite have a history of talking down to Alberta and Albertans.

That on top of feeling like they're being taken advantage of and seeing the kid gloves (paid for by Alberta) that Quebec gets treated with seems like a good recipe to be fed up.

I don’t disagree that Alberta has often been talked down to, stereotyped, or used as a political foil; that resentment didn’t come out of nowhere. There’s a long history of clumsy, dismissive federal rhetoric, and pretending that hasn’t shaped Alberta’s political culture would be dishonest. Your argument completely absolves provincial political and economic elites of responsibility for what that resentment gets turned into.

Feeling disrespected by Ottawa does not automatically lead to the conclusion that oil and gas must dominate every economic, environmental, and national conversation, nor that the federal government is inherently hostile in “everything.” That leap doesn’t come from history alone; it comes from decades of messaging by provincial leaders and industry interests who benefit from framing Alberta as permanently besieged. When every federal policy is filtered through an existential oil-and-gas lens, nuance disappears and alternatives become “betrayal.”

The Quebec comparison is a good example. Yes, Quebec receives accommodations that frustrate Albertans; but those accommodations exist largely because Quebec governments have consistently pursued diversification, industrial policy, and leverage beyond a single sector. Alberta governments chose a different strategy: doubling down on one industry and treating diversification as a threat rather than insurance. That choice wasn’t imposed by Laurentian elites; it was made locally and defended aggressively because it served powerful interests.


So yes, Alberta anger is understandable. What’s questionable is who benefits from keeping that anger permanently focused outward. At some point, grievance stops being a diagnosis and starts being a business model. When political leaders convince people that Ottawa is the enemy in all things, they conveniently avoid accountability for their own policy failures, lack of diversification, and boom-and-bust governance.

 

[QV]

And Alberta as the 51st state would resist it far more than an independent Alberta. Divide. Then conquer.

Without doubt. And, according to Peter Zeihan, would be one of the most productive and wealthy states in the union. It’s a compelling case considering Canada’s ongoing approach to the Alberta question. Alberta leaving would be a significant blow to confederation. Canada is gambling its future with ideology.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The LPC has a base of power in QC and does not in AB, and it shows and has shown for five decades. No amount of "well, it's really just the O&G, akshully" can paper over the party's stance relative to each region.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I don’t disagree that Alberta has often been talked down to, stereotyped, or used as a political foil; that resentment didn’t come out of nowhere. There’s a long history of clumsy, dismissive federal rhetoric, and pretending that hasn’t shaped Alberta’s political culture would be dishonest. Your argument completely absolves provincial political and economic elites of responsibility for what that resentment gets turned into.

Feeling disrespected by Ottawa does not automatically lead to the conclusion that oil and gas must dominate every economic, environmental, and national conversation, nor that the federal government is inherently hostile in “everything.” That leap doesn’t come from history alone; it comes from decades of messaging by provincial leaders and industry interests who benefit from framing Alberta as permanently besieged. When every federal policy is filtered through an existential oil-and-gas lens, nuance disappears and alternatives become “betrayal.”

The Quebec comparison is a good example. Yes, Quebec receives accommodations that frustrate Albertans; but those accommodations exist largely because Quebec governments have consistently pursued diversification, industrial policy, and leverage beyond a single sector. Alberta governments chose a different strategy: doubling down on one industry and treating diversification as a threat rather than insurance. That choice wasn’t imposed by Laurentian elites; it was made locally and defended aggressively because it served powerful interests.


So yes, Alberta anger is understandable. What’s questionable is who benefits from keeping that anger permanently focused outward. At some point, grievance stops being a diagnosis and starts being a business model. When political leaders convince people that Ottawa is the enemy in all things, they conveniently avoid accountability for their own policy failures, lack of diversification, and boom-and-bust governance.

Your framing still underplays how structural federal choices shape Alberta’s options in the first place. Provincial elites didn’t invent the reality that equalization, regulatory asymmetry, and national climate policy stuff lands unevenly on a resource exporting province. When the capitals economic vision repeatedly treats Alberta’s largest sector as a transitional inconvenience rather than a legitimate national asset it’s not exactly propaganda to notice that.

Various Alberta governments pursued oil and gas precisely because it generated revenue, jobs, and fiscal capacity, much to the delight and benefit of Quebec.

Yes grievance can be exploited. So can dismissing Alberta’s anger as a manufactured business model. At the end of the day federal decision-makers are trying to absolve themselves of responsibility for policies that repeatedly ask one region to bear disproportionate national costs.

To add insult to injury the very people Alberta helps try to paint them as anti-science, backwards, American-Lite, MAGA Canadian knuckle draggers.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Without doubt. And, according to Peter Zeihan, would be one of the most productive and wealthy states in the union.

Except it wouldn't be admitted to the union. It would be a U.S. territory until they were ratified by Congress.

Even if this somehow happened before Puerto Rico is admitted, I doubt that it is in the GOP's immediate interest to admit another Blue leaning state into their fragile union any time soon.

They would have even less of a say in what happened federally than they do now.

It’s a compelling case considering Canada’s ongoing approach to the Alberta question. Alberta leaving would be a significant blow to confederation.

I agree with you that it would have significant consequences for Canada, however, I think Alberta has their rose-coloured glassed on if they think it's not a lose-lose situation for both Canadians and Albertans.

Canada is gambling its future with ideology.

As is Alberta. Moderates alike outnumber the fringe on this issue.