Camilla Jessen
Alberta independence push draws quiet U.S. meetings.
A fringe movement seeking to break an oil-rich Canadian province away from the country has quietly attracted interest south of the border.
According to the Financial Times, leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project, a far-right separatist group, have held three meetings since April with officials at the U.S. State Department in Washington.
People familiar with the discussions said the group wants Alberta to become an independent state.
The same sources said the group is seeking another meeting next month with U.S. State and Treasury officials. The goal would be to request a $500 billion credit facility to support Alberta if a future independence referendum is approved.
“The US is extremely enthusiastic about a free and independent Alberta,” Jeff Rath, a legal adviser to the group who attended the meetings, told the FT.
U.S. response
U.S. officials publicly downplayed the contacts.
A State Department spokesperson said: “The Department meets regularly with civil society representatives. As is typical in routine meetings of this nature, no commitments were made.”
A White House official said: “Administration officials are meeting with a number of civil society groups. No such support or other commitment has been conveyed.”
A person familiar with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s views told the FT that neither he nor senior Treasury officials were aware of any proposed credit facility and did not intend to get involved.
Political backdrop
The contacts come as U.S.-Canada relations have cooled. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney clashed last week after Carney said Washington was creating a “rift” in the global order.
Carlo Dade of the Canada West Foundation told the FT the separatist leaders were “attention seekers,” adding: “The Americans are more than happy to continue to pit Canadians against each other.”
Bessent recently described Alberta as “a natural partner for the U.S.” in comments to podcaster Jack Posobiec, noting rumours of a possible referendum.
Limited support
Alberta, home to about five million people, has had a small independence movement for decades.
An Ipsos poll last week found roughly three in ten residents in Alberta and Quebec would vote to separate, though Alberta’s movement has never gained broad traction.
The Alberta Prosperity Project is attempting to gather 177,000 signatures to trigger a legislative petition.
By contrast, a pro-Canada counter-campaign collected more than 438,000 signatures last year.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith opposes independence.
“The overwhelming majority of Albertans are not interested in becoming a U.S. state,” her spokesperson said.
Sources: Financial Times, Ipsos
