Alberta separatism

Alberta separatism, Alberta independence, or Alberta sovereignty refers to a series of 20th- and 21st-century movements advocating the secession of the province of Alberta from Canada, with some groups also supporting the creation of a sovereign union with the other provinces of Western Canada, and other groups supporting Alberta joining the United States. The main issues driving separatist sentiment have been a perceived power disparity relative to Ottawa and other western provinces; a sense of distinctiveness with regard to Alberta's cultural and political identity; and Canadian economic policy, particularly as it pertains to Alberta's petroleum industry and equalization payments. As such, Alberta separatism is an expression of Western alienation. The concept of separation gained considerable media attention in the aftermath of the 2025 federal election. In 2025, the Alberta Forever Canada citizen initiative opposing Alberta's separation from Canada was launched and verified by Elections Alberta pending its surpassing the required amount of signatures. In early 2026, Elections Alberta approved a petition which, pending legal challenges, intends to lead to a separation referendum. On May 13, 2026, Alberta Justice Shaina Leonard ruled in favour of several First Nations whose lawyers argued that using Alberta's referendum process for possible separation of Alberta from Canada has been unconstitutional because First Nations were not consulted and that separation under these circumstances would violate treaty rights. This issue of treaty rights arises because Alberta is within the territories of several of the Numbered Treaties between First Nations and the monarchy of Canada agreed to before Alberta became a province. On May 21, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith responded to the ruling by announcing that Alberta will hold a referendum on whether to trigger the process for holding a binding referendum on Alberta separating from Canada. Alberta's secession would be subject to the federal Clarity Act and...