Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney has expressed disapproval of the United Conservative Party caucus signing a petition to trigger a vote on Alberta’s separation from Canada. Kenney, who led the party from its inception in 2017 until 2022, emphasized that the UCP was established on the principle of upholding a strong Alberta within a united Canada. He highlighted the inconsistency of elected officials who campaigned on a united Canada platform now supporting a petition for separation.
The petition campaign leader claimed that members of Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP caucus had endorsed the separation vote petition. However, Jeff Rath, representing the petition group, cited privacy regulations preventing the disclosure of signatories’ identities. Smith, responding to the claims, stated that her caucus members have the freedom to sign any petition they choose, indicating a hands-off approach to their actions.
While more than 20 UCP backbenchers did not respond to queries regarding their support for the petition, a caucus spokesperson reiterated the government’s commitment to a strong and sovereign Alberta within Canada. Smith’s office echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that while MLAs are entitled to their personal views, there was no confirmation of any caucus members signing the petition.
Meanwhile, Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized Smith for her perceived leniency towards separatism and urged UCP members who signed the petition to disclose their identities. Kenney refrained from commenting on potential signatories within Smith’s caucus but expressed outrage over reports of separatist group members holding discussions with U.S. officials about Alberta’s secession.
Kenney condemned any collaboration with foreign powers to undermine Canada, particularly referencing meetings with U.S. officials. He emphasized that such actions were disrespectful to Canada’s sovereignty and drew a comparison with Texas, highlighting the need for strong diplomatic responses to any external interference in Canadian affairs.
