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Katheryn Speck said she was once a Canadian nationalist, traveling the world with maple leaves on her backpack, and once lived in Quebec so she could become fluent in bilingual.
But on Saturday, she was one of hundreds of people gathered in the Alberta Legislature to support separation from Canada, with many waving Alberta flags and some even showing American stars and stripes.
“I think it’s a beautiful, wonderful country. But now I’m disappointed. I’m really upset that we’ll never represent this country and never have the chance to change the government,” Speck said.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Danielle Smith’s administration introduced legislation that would lower the standard of holding a referendum.
Smith told reporters she would not be on the premise that Alberta might ask questions, but the move would make it easier for citizens to call for a vote to separate from Canada.
The federal liberal elections also prompted some in the province to demand a withdrawal on Monday.
After the federal election, Alberta introduced legislation that could make it easier for citizens to force referendums. Now, some Alberts who advocate separation from Canada feel bold. Paige Parsons held in the Legislature from the weekend rally.
Speck said the national energy program of the 1980s eroded her Canadian pride. Now, the decade of liberal policies she said have blocked the pipeline and hindered the province’s energy industry, which she believes has no solution for the alliance.
“Once the ballots were counted in Ontario, the election was over. We didn’t matter. We never mattered,” she said.
Hannah Henze, 17, attended Saturday’s rally and said she might have made a difference if the Conservatives won the separation.
“If[Conservative Leader Pierre]Poilievre comes in, I feel like we have more hope than a third or fourth liberal term, it’s just ruining our country,” Henze said.
Meanwhile, Leo Jensen said Canadians are worried about losing their auto manufacturing jobs due to tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump, but they don’t seem to be worried about protecting the work of Alberta’s oil and gas sector.
“I can’t see how a province like Quebec takes all our dirty money, but they won’t let dirty pipes pass through Quebec to help refineries in New Brunswick,” Jansen said.
First Nation Care
Dozens of counter-protesters tried to flood the rally, and many raised signs that separation would violate the Aboriginal Treaty.
Pickanee Nation chief Troy Knowlton said in a letter earlier this week that many in the West were frustrated by the federal Liberal Party’s rejection in the election. But he said Alberta has no right to interfere or deny the treaty.
The prime minister said on Saturday’s provincial radio call program that she fully respects the treaty rights.
“Everything I did changed the relationship between Alberta and Ottawa. The Aboriginal people have their own relationship with Ottawa, which is included in the treaty. That hasn’t changed.”
Alberta Prime Minister Danielle Smith accused the federal government of pushing for a net-zero energy program that was disastrous for the province, while also defending legislation that would make it easier to separate referendums from Canada.
In March, if the next prime minister does not acquiesce to her list of demands within six months, Smith threatens to threaten the “national unity crisis” but reiterates this week that she supports Canada’s unified Alberta sovereignty.
Rally attendee Susan Westernaier said she believed that if Alberta separates, everything would be better.
“We have oil, we have resources. We are good.” Westerners pointed out that she believes Monday’s election has been manipulated.
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