'Let them come down': Trump cabinet member touches on Alberta separatism
A prominent member of the Trump administration recently touched on the Alberta separatism movement, calling Albertans “very independent.”
Scott Bessent, United States Secretary of the Treasury, weighed in on the issue while speaking to right-wing TV station Real America’s Voice, alleging that Canada won’t allow Alberta to build a pipeline to the Pacific coast.
Bessent stated that Alberta has a wealth of natural resources but that the federal government will not allow a pipeline to be built, adding, “I think we should let them come down into the U.S., and Alberta is a natural partner for the U.S. They have great resources.”
He went on to call Albertans “very independent people,” and said there’s “a rumour that they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not.”
The interviewer then asked Bessent if he knew anything about it. Bessent said, “Look, people are talking. People want sovereignty. They want what the U.S. has got.”
You can view the watch interview below.
The Alberta independence movement is currently collecting signatures across the province, kicking off at the start of this month.
A group called Stay Free Alberta stated that the 120-day collection period for the independence petition runs until approximately May 2, 2026. During this time, canvassers must gather around 177,000 valid signatures, which is 10 per cent of the eligible voters from the last provincial election in Alberta.
A survey from Pollara Strategic Insights released earlier this month found 19 per cent of respondents in Alberta would vote to separate from Canada, while another, an online survey of a representative national sample done by Research Co., found that 31 per cent of Albertans support Alberta becoming a country independent from Canada.