Donald Trump, who regularly scares Canadians with promises to annex their country to the United States, unexpectedly received in Canada, if not direct support, then a hint of it. Next year, residents of the province of Alberta will be able to express their opinion on the creation of an independent state in a referendum. This was stated by the head of this still Canadian administrative unit, Danielle Smith. The intention to hold a referendum on secession seems to be only part of the bargaining on economic issues between the authorities of Alberta and the leadership of Canada. But everything can change radically if Trump starts to undermine the territorial integrity of a neighboring country.
Smith’s statement appeared on the official portal of the government of Alberta. It says that a clause on secession from Canada may be included in the referendum on the future of the region, which is scheduled to be held in 2026 (the exact date has not yet been set). Smith immediately made a reservation: she herself does not support the idea of Alberta independence. But if the relevant petition is submitted and gets the necessary number of votes, the government will have no choice but to heed the voice of the people and include the issue of independence in the referendum ballot. It turned out to be a hint, and it’s even clear to whom. The Republican Party of Alberta, which has long advocated separation from Canada, can collect signatures. As recently as April 25, a few days before the national parliamentary elections, this political force received a powerful reinforcement in the person of Cameron Davis. He was a prominent representative of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, to which Smith belongs. Since the end of April, Davis has led the Republicans. He explained his departure to the separatist party in an open letter published after the results of the parliamentary elections held on April 28. In them, we recall, the Canadian Conservatives were defeated, and the Liberal Party led by the current Prime Minister Mark Carney won.
Davis called this an extremely bad signal, indicating that the pressure of the center on the province will increase, and Smith will not be able to properly resist it. “Today is the birthday of many new Alberta separatists,” he predicted.
In a comment to NG, Elena Komkova, chief researcher at the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences, notes that the idea of holding a referendum on the separation of this province from Canada is not new. “Exactly the same initiative was put forward four years ago. In 2021, when parliamentary elections were held, the separatists raised their heads in Alberta. They believe that Ottawa does not sufficiently consider the interests of the western provinces. The liberals in power in Canada then and now are committed to the climate protection agenda. And in mineral-rich Alberta, most locals want to develop their oil industry, not green energy. But the initiative to hold a referendum both appeared and faded,” the expert said.
Will this happen now? It’s not obvious at all. Komkova believes that Smith is trying to start a trade with Carney. During the election campaign, the head of Alberta issued a list of ultimatum demands to the government regarding the province’s economic development. Smith and Carney had a conversation. She was satisfied with the results, saying that the Liberal leader was acting in the right direction. Perhaps the Alberta authorities will succeed in solving their main task – to build oil and gas pipelines to the east and west coasts of the country. This is opposed by a number of provinces, including Quebec. However, in this French-speaking region, which is always remembered when talking about the possible disintegration of Canada, the attitude of the authorities towards these projects in Alberta is changing from negative to positive. After all, the government will be re-elected there in 2026. The position of Quebec Premier Francois Legault, judging by polls, is unstable. He needs to attract new voters, which means non-trivial solutions.
“Smith is a populist and, as they say, keeps her nose in the wind. It is no coincidence that she declares that her goal is not secession, but, as she puts it, a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada. By raising the issue of a referendum, Smith is copying what Quebec was doing: seeking greater autonomy. It is no coincidence that a month ago she published a letter to Lego and offered to meet, so to speak, to exchange experiences,” Komkova believes.
One could confidently predict that the talks about Alberta’s secession would end, as in 2021, with nothing but the Trump factor. Smith seems to be using it to influence Ottawa more clearly. It is no coincidence that her statement was published before the meeting between Trump and Carney. By the way, Smith herself has a good relationship with the current US president. During the American election campaign, she visited his Mar-a-Lago residence. When Trump won, Smith attended his inauguration – and this at a time when the whole of Canada was outraged by his threats to make the country a new American state. All this raises suspicions that the head of Alberta may be playing too much. Or maybe Trump, if he’s serious about annexing Canada, is using Smith to achieve his goal. After all, it is possible to annex the country to the United States in parts.
Sociological data show that no more than 30% of Albertans support secession from Canada. What happens if Trump tries, at least on a rhetorical level, to interfere in the course of the referendum? Will the number of independence supporters increase or decrease? These questions do not yet have a clear answer.
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Other high-profile statements by Trump were followed by the authors of Russian socio-political Telegram channels.
“When Trump says he doesn’t need an investigation to name those responsible for the Nord Stream bombing, he’s obviously not lying. Of course, the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces knows who is involved in this incident, even if it happened under his predecessor,” writes the Meister.
The “Ruthless PR man” He draws attention to the fact that the other day Trump proposed to the Senate a preliminary version of the state budget for 2026, and there were cuts in the line of the US lunar program: “There will be not ten steps, but only three, and the Americans propose to end with the same way that the program of lunar exploration ended last time — by landing a man on the surface.” a natural satellite of the Earth. The creation of the Lunar Gateway space station and the construction of a base for a permanent human presence on the Moon is canceled.”
And the authors of the Mouse in the Vegetable channel state that the US Navy has successfully tested a hypersonic missile created as part of the Conventional Prompt Strike program and designed to arm warships.