A prickly period of separatist sentiments in Alberta’s Wild Rose Country
Just as most Canadians are feeling an extraordinary wave of nationalistic pride in the face of Trump’s odious politics, a new wave of Alberta separatism—fuelled by the politics of oil and gas—has spilled onto the scene.
Alberta is giving rise to a separatist movement. Why? And what lies ahead? This October 2025 Monitor looks into it.
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Does Alberta really want to cut and run?
A couple of years ago I went to see my aunt at a seniors’ home in rural Saskatchewan. An elderly gentleman passed by and I…
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Western separatism: An age-old story entering a new chapter
Why then, if there has been no real growth in separatism as a threat in Alberta and Saskatchewan, has there been so much handwringing and…
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Alberta separation: a legal issue for First Nations—it’s political too
First Nations in Alberta have strongly voiced opposition to Bill 54, also known as the Election Statutes Amendment Act. The bill has been widely interpreted…
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The arsonists: The politicians stoking the fires of Western separatism
The same federal government who alienated our oil and gas industry is now putting global food security at risk by attacking the hard working agriculture…
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Wresting cost-of-living politics away from the populist right
Left- and right-wing populist movements that have dominated Prairie politics over the last century can trace their roots back to regional frustrations framed in opposition…
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Reality check: If Alberta left Canada
As Alberta spins ever closer to a rudderless sovereignty referendum in which the premier provides all the leadership of a radio phone-in host—“let’s open up the lines…
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“Alberta Next”, migrants’ rights come last
The “Alberta Next” initiative, led by Premier Danielle Smith, represents a significant push toward greater provincial autonomy within Canada. Through town halls and surveys conducted…
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It’s not you, it’s us: British Columbia isn’t into Western alienation
An article about Western alienation in British Columbia might as well start with the Rocky Mountains, that formidable natural barrier to the rest of Canada…
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Whose nationalism is it, anyway?
“The first idea is to define oneself as a nation—therefore it requires a culture of their own,” said Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, speaking to…
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Does Alberta really want to cut and run?
A couple of years ago I went to see my aunt at a seniors’ home in rural Saskatchewan. An elderly gentleman passed by and I…
