June 20, 2025: Alexandra Noad, Lethbridge Herald, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Alberta sovereignty organization held a sold-out meeting of 375 people in Lethbridge this week to discuss what a possible independent Alberta could look like.
Mitch Sylvestre, chief executive officer of the Alberta Prosperity Project, says he’s noticed since the last election an uprise in Albertans who have lost hope in federal politics, and APP wants to offer those discouraged Albertans hope.
“I think we’re giving them the opportunity to have hope and to give them the opportunity to support change by participating in a democracy,” says Silvestre.
When asked about those who don’t agree with separating from Canada, Sylvestre says they are more than welcome to participate in a referendum on Alberta sovereignty. However, he adds he has yet to hear a counter argument that trumps the idea of Alberta separating from Canada.
Sylvestre says many people are confused and believe sovereignty is all politics, while APP believes all Albertans, no matter their political beliefs, should consider supporting an independent state.
“People are trying to make this into a partisan issue; this isn’t a partisan issue. This is the very lifestyle of the people of Alberta that’s at stake here and the federal government is clearly showing us and telling us what their path is, and it’s completely conflicting with what the path of an independent, sovereign, prosperous Alberta would be.”
Sylvestre says, as an independent state, Alberta could choose its own currency, and claims that Premier Danielle Smith has personally asked him about trading in U.S. dollars
“She’s actually brought that up to me personally as a question. She said, ‘what do you think? What would you think if Alberta traded in U.S. dollars?’”
However, in a statement to the Herald, the premier’s office said: “As the Premier has stated on numerous occassions, she believes in a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada. Any claim to the contrary is incorrect.”
Sylvestre believes that transitioning to using the U.S. dollar would be a very easy step, as a majority of our exports go south.
The APP is currently building a business plan which Sylvestre says will demonstrate that an independent Alberta would have a $30-to-$50-billion surplus.
How Alberta would trade with other provinces after separation is a topic of discussion at APP meetings, says Sylvester. An option could be negotiating with British Columbia to build a pipeline through B.C as the province would need to export up to 90 per cent of their goods through Alberta.
He also claims that Albertans pay $9 billion a year to CPP while only collecting $6 billion, meaning a 40 per cent overage is paid that a sovereign Alberta could claim. Due to the portability clause in the Canada Pension Plan, says Sylvestre, the federal government is on the hook to pay pensions to anyone no matter where they live.
According to an article by Public Interest of Alberta published yesterday, a survey from the Government of Alberta shows that 63 per cent of Albertans were opposed to the idea of an Alberta Pension Plan, with only 10 per cent or respondents supporting it.
When it comes to First Nations treaties, Sylvestre says the worst Indigenous people would end up with if Alberta would separate is what they currently have.
“They’re independent within Alberta and they’re like National Parks…so their arrangement doesn’t have to change at all.”
He adds that the APP is proposing to triple First Nations income with projects that will help many get above the poverty line, and claims Indigenous people are excited about it.
Sylvestre believes a potential referendum on sovereignty may be the most important decision Albertans will make in their lifetime and all voters should take the matter seriously.
“I really believe everybody should listen very intently and pay attention to what the real facts are, versus what’s going on out there and what’s been going on for the las 10 years, and see exactly what kind of lifestyle they want to make for themselves and their children moving forward.”