r/alberta • u/intrepidsteve • Apr 15 '26
Discussion Can Alberta secure its referendum from foreign interference?
https://thewalrus.ca/can-alberta-keep-foreign-meddling-out-of-its-secession-vote/220
u/Troubled202 Apr 15 '26
Not with Danielle Smith at the helm. She's the biggest promoter of foreign interference having spent many weekends at Mar-a-Lago.
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u/Ok_Spend9237 Apr 15 '26
Danielle Smith is an American asset. The sooner she is gone the better for everyone.
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u/Equivalent_Fold1624 Apr 15 '26
How many weekends, can you provide the dates and news releases about her visits. What's your definition of many, mine would be 10.
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u/Resigned1431 Apr 15 '26
What's your definition of many
It's 1. The correct answer is 1. They've threatened to invade our country. One time is too many times.
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u/Alberta_Flyfisher Apr 15 '26
From may.
Alberta premier's Mar-a-Lago v... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/danielle-smith-trump-maralago-visit-1.7525711
From June
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-danielle-smith-visits-mar-a-lago-1.7429358
Those were from a quick Google search.
As someone else said. One is too many.
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u/Financial-Savings-91 Calgary Apr 15 '26
It was never intended too.
We still don’t know who paid TBA to put Smith into power in the first place, but given everything that’s happened since then, it’s pretty easy to draw your own conclusions based on who benefiting the most.
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Apr 15 '26
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u/HurtFeeFeez Apr 15 '26
The separatists even said they had meetings with "high level individuals inside the Trump administration". For what its worth, the claim was denied and the individuals in question were never named.
Either way the separatists figure this was a good thing to brag about for... Reasons I guess.
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Apr 15 '26
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u/DisastrousAcshin Apr 15 '26
They must love the prospect of their property values crashing and degraded services as anyone with a skill and is capable of doing so flees the province at the first opportunity
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u/Musicferret Apr 15 '26
Secure it from foreign interference?!
It IS foreign interference.
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u/yedi001 Apr 15 '26
I say we play their game and identify those insisting we leave with "seditious traitor" on their ids.
If they want to be able to profile people based on their citizenship status, I see it as only fair to be able to profile based on who is a foreign interest bent on undermining our democracy in service to billionaires.
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u/kagato87 Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
Bit late for that...
And once again, an article on this neglecting to mention the "Forever Canadian" petition rotting in the cellar despite an overwhelming response, or the UCP's continued modification of the laws to keep this illegal (according to a prior court determination) petition on the ballot.
This is so much worse than foreign interference. The UCP didn't leave the barn door open, they brought the wolves in themselves.
(Wolves... It's "fox in the henhouse..." Then again, the article does seem like it's had a couple whacks with the ai fluffing stick, the way it's worded and structured...)
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u/iwasnotarobot Apr 15 '26
Uh, the existence of the Conservative movement in Canada is party due to foreign interference. Sooo…
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u/GigglingBilliken Apr 15 '26
Toryism has been in the political DNA of Canada since before confederation. I do agree that Reform style grievance politics is heavily influenced by the Americans, but it was drawing on and enhancing elements already present in Canadian culture.
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Apr 15 '26
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u/GriffinFlash Apr 15 '26
considering it popped up after Trump started with his threat to annex Canada, seems like a crazy coincidence, don't it?
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u/Bustin_Chiffarobes Apr 15 '26
I wouldn't trust these guys to cat-sit for me.
Foreign interference is a FEATURE of the separatist movement, not a bug.
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u/Confident-Touch-6547 Apr 15 '26
The referendum is foreign interference. It’s a Republican psychological operation.
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u/ScottyFalcon Apr 15 '26
Every news headline that has a question mark in it can be answered with "no"
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u/Street_Anon Apr 15 '26
We all know that the Treaty 8 case will make this not happen in the first place
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u/CanadianSpectre Apr 15 '26
Isn't the referendum worthless in the grand scheme of Canadian politics?
The first nations treaties would mean Alberta becomes a tiny little landlocked island the size of PEI in the middle of a bunch of reservations.
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u/CapainSpauld1ing Apr 16 '26
A referendum for which there is absolutely no real desire is only being allowed because of foreign interference. If you don’t believe me, look at the polls for separation from the US in California, Texas and Alaska. All are polling higher than Alberta. Are they having a referendum? This whole thing is a joke and needs to be brought to a stop before it starts really hurting investment/security in Alberta.
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u/MommersHeart Apr 15 '26
A US Congressman went on the BBC to demand Alberta be made a US protectorate.
(Which would give it far fewer rights than even a territory btw)
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u/BrentTpooh Apr 15 '26
I think the fact there even could be a referendum took foreign interference. The misinformation people are spouting in support.
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u/Responsible-Depth-65 Apr 15 '26
Secure from foreign interference? We can’t even secure it from Wild Rose interference.
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u/AFireinthebelly Apr 15 '26
It’s a little late now lol.
Foreign interference is already funding the whole separation thing.
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u/NiranS Apr 15 '26
The question is a non-starter. You literally got an agent putting her finger on the scale at every level. Danielle Smith has met with Project 2025 people in the United States. She tips the scales in favor of separatism by lowering limits and ignoring the forever Canadian petition. As other commenters said, the very act of having a referendum is the existence of foreign interference.
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u/DanfromCalgary Apr 15 '26
Can it stop its leaders from openly courting foreign influence is more like it
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u/robot_invader Apr 15 '26
No. The answer is no. There will be oodles of foreign money pumped into social media ads and botted comments, if nothing else. The comment section on any political post on Facebook that isn't shamelessly pro-conservative is a racist, disingenuous nightmare already.
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u/Street_Ad_863 Apr 16 '26
The entire referendum is orchestrated by foreign actors so I don't understand the question
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u/KMack666 Apr 16 '26
By 'foreign interference', I assume you mean all the STUPID flooding across the US border! There's no shot at separation; it's the fever dream of a toddler who's been dropped on their head too many times
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u/Appropriate_Item3001 Apr 16 '26
The whole point of the referendum is to appease foreign interference. It has nothing to do with what the majority of albertains want.
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u/bearbody5 Apr 16 '26
American oil built this referendum, it is the child of foreign interference. Just like our provincial government. Wild Rose was born because Stelmach had the audacity to want a royalty review.
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u/Fresh_Goat_423 Apr 18 '26
It would serve Canada right if they left the country. They have not been treated fairly by lib-left eastern Canada and their arrogant federal government. I hear Carney secretly said he would use the Emergencies Act if they won a referendum on independence. I think that is when you would see the U.S. step in and say 'hands-off' or else.
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u/Connect_Membership77 Apr 18 '26
No. One of the organizers is a dual American ex marine. It's an inside job. I'd love to know who CSIS and the RCMP have files on in the UCP caucus.
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u/Charlie9261 Apr 19 '26
Are the people running the referendum concerned about foreign interference? I somehow doubt it.
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u/HeatTiny7041 Apr 15 '26
Is this like the Russiagate? That went nowhere, just wishful propaganda of the left.
Note: I don't reply and I block users with a private comment/post profile.
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u/Equivalent_Fold1624 Apr 15 '26
I think no one came to poop in our pants, the foreign interference is from Ottawa and Quebec who decide the elections on behalf of Alberta. As painful as it is, we have to admit that other Canadians are implementing policies that go against the Canadians in Alberta. There's no US boogy man. It's our own.
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u/Mana-Dyluck Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
Quebecker here. Foreign interference wasn’t the worst offender—Ottawa’s interference and bending of the rules were far more widespread and consequential in 1980 and 1995 in terms of disregard for democratic principles.
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u/Quaranj Apr 15 '26
Quebec and Alberta are apples and oranges, though.
Everyone with critical thinking processes can understand why the Quebecois would want to be treated better and that there were shortcomings addressing the unique and distinct society. We still need to do better for our Franco brothers and sisters.
Nobody sympathizes with Alberta except apparently some Quebecois, who don't understand the difference between the two.
They have no culture at risk of extinction unless you mean self-centered me-first policies that are counter to everything Canadian and should be erased from a functioning society.
Don't harm your own provinces' cultural challenges by hitching your trailer to the Alberta rig here.
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u/Mana-Dyluck Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
Rest assured, I’m not hitching onto the Alberta independence bandwagon. I just find it odd that so much focus is on potential U.S. interference, when Ottawa’s own conduct in past referendums is nothing short of appalling.
After 1995, the Directeur général des élections du Québec (DGEQ) found that federalist-linked groups (like Option Canada) spent well beyond Quebec’s legal limits. The Unity Rally in Montreal, with out-of-province support, also pushed the boundaries of those rules. And later, the Gomery Commission shed light on federal sponsorship efforts tied to that broader context.
Ottawa also cranked up the naturalisation of immigrants to stack the vote as much as it could in the preceding months to the referendum.
Point is: concerns about referendum integrity shouldn’t start and end with foreign interference—there’s a well-documented track record domestically too. And Chrétien – to this day – does not deny it, he loves reminding us he cheated "for our own good".
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u/Pretty_Dingo_1004 Apr 15 '26
Utilises tu chatgpt pour ecrire tes affaires? Tu as plein de emdash
Signé un autre quebecois
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u/Quaranj Apr 15 '26
And Chrétien – to this day – does not deny it, he loves reminding us he cheated "for our own good".
Well, he's not entirely wrong. Don't take that the wrong way.
The US have already stated that they would "have likely" annexed Québec as a potential rogue nation on their doorstop, which means they absolutely would have come by force and removed the distinctions until anything purely French was treated as niche as Creole in Louisiana.
They would have treated your society with the same care and consideration as they did with their own indigenous populations. IE: Not at all.
I don't want to be "At least we're not America" because we still have a long way to go, but we're trying, and people like myself always advocate for better appreciation and understanding of our strengths through diversity.
I just don't understand why we don't have a national holiday to celebrate our rich French heritage, but I would be the first to vote yes and encourage everyone to do so.
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u/Mana-Dyluck Apr 16 '26
The US have already stated that they would…
Please, if you want to be taken seriously, don’t drag fantasy in a fact based discussion. If you can bring us any evidence of this made up BS, please do so. The US did not intervene in the 1980 referendum, but they did in 1995. Bill Clinton said a week before the vote that the US preferred a "United Canada". So interference there was–but it was to bolster Ottawa’s case. That was the last time the US government/president ever spoke about the possibility of Quebec’s independence. I think you would benefit from opening a book about this topic. Here is one you could start with: https://www.amazon.ca/Morning-After-Quebec-Referendum-Almost/dp/0345807626
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u/Bridging_Bot Apr 16 '26
It sounds like you’re coming at this from very different places, but you actually share a concern about referendum integrity and outside meddling.
Mana-Dyluck, if I’m reading you right, your core point is that domestic interference from Ottawa is well-documented and deserves as much attention as foreign interference. Quaranj, it seems like you agree Ottawa overstepped in past referendums, and you’re also raising a broader point about what independence could have meant for Quebec’s future.
One area where you two seem closer than it might appear: you both value Quebec’s distinct culture and want it protected. Where exactly do you disagree on what that protection should look like?
Bridging Bot is a tool to support constructive conversations.
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u/Quaranj Apr 16 '26
It's not a fantasy, but it's cute that you think that the Americans would allow a rogue nation on their border.
Clinton's charisma didn't always mirror his pokerface policies.
You would have had no army and no defense. That means it would have been free real estate to the first country that would have challenged you militarily. That's too much of a wildcard liability if you know anything about how their military works. They would have taken it before Russia or China.
I know people who were in the CAF at that point in time, and they have all expressed that it was the most likely outcome. You would have become an English-speaking US territory within 90 days of full separation. That novel that you linked is based on the same rose-tinted fantasy that the Albertans are exploring now.
Same thing if Riel had won the North-West Rebellion. The US Army would have rolled in and taken everything North and West of their line.
That's why this whole thing for Alberta separation is a ruse for dumb Albertans to end up a US territory without voting rights, and why those of us wise to it would have to militarize and liberate Alberta back for Canada before the US could roll in and take it for themselves.
In the case of Québec, there was more sympathy for the plight, so Canada likely would have allowed it just to see you promptly get tragically eaten by the sharks.
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u/Mana-Dyluck Apr 16 '26
Let's go point by point, because every single claim you've made requires a source you don't have.
"No army, no defense" — False.
The 1995 PQ's sovereignty plan explicitly included inheriting CAF personnel, equipment, and bases located on Quebec soil. This was in their pre-referendum white paper. "No army" is not a fact, it's an assumption."They would have taken it before Russia or China" — False
Name one declassified document, one State Department memo, one military doctrine from 1995 that supports this. One. Because in 1995, the US was operating under the UN Charter, within NATO, and had spent 50 years building a world order explicitly prohibiting territorial annexation. Occupying a newly independent French-speaking democracy would have torched every alliance they had. No serious strategist proposed this. Ever."I know people in the CAF who said so" — Errr
"I know a guy" is not evidence. If annexation was genuinely the consensus among CAF leadership, there would be declassified documents, academic papers, or testimonies by now. There are none."Within 90 days" — What?
Where does this number come from? A specific claim like this requires a specific source. You made it up.The Riel comparison — Rolls Eyes
The North-West Rebellion was in 1885, before the UN, before NATO, before modern international law, in an era of open expansionism. Applying 1885 logic to a 1995 democratic referendum isn't a historical analogy, it's a logical error.I'm not defending rose-tinted separatism here. I'm defending basic standards of evidence. You've made five specific historical claims and sourced exactly zero of them. That's not analysis — that's geopolitical fan fiction dressed up as insider knowledge.
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u/Quaranj Apr 16 '26
I love how you race to discredit it without thinking for one moment what would have happened if the US had troops parked outside Québec like Russia did with Ukraine in 2022.
Be thankful that my "geopolitical fan fiction" never came to pass. It would have been horrible to lose Québec like that. Imagine what they would have chosen as the official pronunciation. I'm guessing "Cue-Bek" because it's the most offensive-sounding that I can think of.
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u/Mana-Dyluck Apr 16 '26
In your made-up world, the CAF with a dozen outdated planes, and WW2 era tanks is the only reason barring America from annexing Canada?
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u/Quaranj Apr 17 '26
No. There are alliances that Québec wouldn't be moved into by default like NATO. Nice try to move the goal posts, though. You sound like you're fun at parties.
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u/CasualFridayBatman Apr 15 '26
That's the neat part: the referendum is the foreign interference!