Alberta separatism has been a fixture of Canadian politics for as long as Alberta has existed. In the 1930s, supporters of premier William Aberhart agitated for secession after the feds kiboshed his attempts to implement a fringe economic theory called social credit, which involved total government regulation of the economy. Pierre Trudeau sparked the modern era of western alienation in 1980 with his government’s National Energy Program, a system of price controls and revenue-sharing that Albertans saw as a federal imposition on their jurisdiction. And in 2019, the Wexit movement flared after Justin Trudeau’s re-election.
Today, talk of sovereignty is rising again. It would be easy for Canadians to dismiss it as a resurgence of age-old grievances—after all, despite a century of western alienation, Alberta is still here. The difference is that this time there may actually be a referendum on separation, and soon. Albertans can propose “citizen initiatives” to put forth referendum topics. Previously, proponents needed to collect 600,000 supporting signatures in 90 days to do so. This May, Premier Danielle Smith lowered that to 177,000 signatures in 120 days. A group called the Alberta Prosperity Project is already planning to collect enough signatures to force a secession referendum by 2026.
Show Your Commitment to Alberta Independence
Ready to raise your flag? Visit our Print Resources page to find a list of Alberta Flag suppliers. Let’s see flags flying from porches, trucks, balconies, and barns.
Download the Alberta Crest here.
We invite all Albertans to download the social images and share them on your platforms, in your communities, and across every corner of this province. Attend a town hall to grab the new design on shirts.
Download and Share the Crest Here.
Together, we can make this image a lasting part of Alberta’s story.
The Alberta Prosperity Project supports Alberta’s sovereignty and independence to protect jobs, reduce political control, and improve our future.