Alberta can thrive within Canada

Alberta’s independence debate deserves a sober examination of the risks of national division. Ukraine offers an important cautionary example of how separatist movements can be exploited by foreign powers to advance their own strategic interests. Russia’s intervention in eastern Ukraine in 2014 transformed separatist unrest into a prolonged armed conflict, causing civilian deaths, economic disruption and instability.

Alberta’s circumstances are very different, but the broader lesson is that separatism can create vulnerabilities to foreign interference.

Alberta remains economically strong within Confederation. Statistics Canada reported that average weekly earnings in Alberta exceeded the national average in late 2025. The province also has no provincial sales tax and introduced a lower personal income-tax rate in 2025. Meanwhile, Alberta’s oil production continued to grow in both 2024 and 2025, demonstrating the strength of its energy sector within Canada.

Frustration with Ottawa is understandable. Federal environmental policies under former Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault raised concerns among Albertans who believed they constrained resource development and deepened Western alienation. However, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s elimination of the federal consumer carbon price in April 2025 demonstrated that federal policies can change through democratic pressure.

Rather than pursuing separation, Albertans can demand policies that better reflect provincial priorities through stronger federal-provincial negotiations and effective political representation.

A prosperous Alberta and a united Canada need not be competing ambitions. Alberta can strengthen its economic future while remaining an influential part of a united country.

DENYS VOLKOV Winnipeg