Alberta Separatists Seek to Court Trump.. and the White House Stays Away

Voters in Alberta, Canada, are preparing to vote later in October on whether they want to remain part of Canada or initiate a legal path that could lead to a future binding referendum on separation, amid efforts by the separatist movement to gain support from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, while the White House has so far committed to staying away from the issue.

The vote comes at a time when recent polls indicate that support for Alberta's separation is around 30%, with the percentage varying depending on the wording of the question, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is treating the separatist efforts as a serious issue despite the fact that supporters of separation remain a minority according to Bloomberg.

Alberta voters are set to be asked, as part of a vote consisting of 10 questions, whether they want to remain in Canada or begin the legal process leading to a future binding referendum on separation.

Some Alberta separatists have said they traveled to Washington in an effort to meet with officials in the Trump administration and gain American support, including a $500 billion line of credit, but they have only provided limited public evidence of meetings with U.S. officials.

In contrast, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Peter Hoekstra said he received instructions from the White House to stay away from the issue, while a White House official stated that Trump's lack of public comment on it is due to his focus on other matters.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Biesen described Alberta as a "natural partner" for the United States, while Trade Minister Howard Loutnik sparked controversy in Canada when he linked the stalled trade talks between the two countries to Carney's desire to support the anti-separation camp.

The Premier of Alberta, Canada, announced that she would hold a referendum on separation from Canada next year if the number of signatures on the petition reaches the legally required threshold.

Alberta, with a population of about 5 million, is the center of Canada's oil industry and one of the richest provinces in the country. The energy sector is a major focal point in the disputes between separatists and the federal government, amid ongoing objections to environmental policies, stalled pipeline projects, and the political influence of the more populous eastern provinces, particularly Ontario and Quebec.

Carney sought to address some of these grievances, with one of his most notable steps being the announcement of a new crude oil pipeline, while criticizing Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's handling of the separatist movement. Smith claims she supports "sovereign Alberta within a united Canada," and has ruled out the province becoming a U.S. state.

Canada has previously witnessed two referendums on the separation of Quebec, in 1980 and 1995, both of which ended in a rejection of separation, although the second referendum saw separatists lose by a narrow margin. The Alberta movement differs from the Quebec experience in that there is no party or provincial premier or legislator leading it; rather, it is driven by a loose group of activists and political forces.

The upcoming vote does not directly mean the independence of Alberta, but rather concerns the initiation of a legal process that may eventually lead to a binding referendum, while Carney pointed out that separation would require more than a simple majority in the vote.