This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact The Epoch Times Reprints.
Alberta Prosperity Project CEO Mitch Sylvestre (L) holds a press conference with (L–R) lawyer Jeffrey Rath, Dr. Dennis Modry, and former MP LaVar Payne in Calgary on March 26, 2025. The Epoch Times
An Alberta sovereignty group says three of its members travelled to Washington earlier this week for meetings with senior U.S. officials to discuss the prospects of the province separating from Canada.
The Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) said its representatives Mitch Sylvestre, Dennis Modry, and Jeffrey Rath met with senior U.S. officials in Washington on Sept. 29 to provide an update on the progress of Alberta’s separation initiative. This was the second time the group sent a delegation to Washington, with the first meeting taking place in April.
The APP said its recent meeting resulted in “even stronger commitments” from U.S. officials, whom the group did not name but described as senior members of President Donald Trump’s administration. In the April meeting, the officials had recognized the initiative and expressed “full support” for it, the group said.
“The purpose of this trip was to follow up on our April 2025 meeting, specifically to update the US administration on where APP is at in the quest for Alberta sovereignty, and to elaborate on the substantive mutual benefit to both US citizens and Alberta citizens consequent to Alberta becoming a sovereign country,” said Modry, the APP’s chair and co-founder.
The Epoch Times reached out to the White House and the U.S. Department of State for confirmation and comment but didn’t hear back by publication time.
The APP holds that the federal government in Canada has “encroached on Alberta’s ability to manage its own affairs,” and says independence would allow the province to “keep our resources, grow our economy, and re-invest in Alberta families, businesses and infrastructure.”
The APP is applying to be a separation referendum proponent for a province-wide vote next year. It filed its application for a citizen-led petition on July 4, but the process has been delayed after an Alberta judge ruled that the constitutionality of the APP’s proposed referendum question must first be reviewed, saying that a vote with national implications requires a full hearing.
The question the APP wants to ask Albertans is: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?”
Concerns about the constitutionality of the question were first raised by Alberta’s chief electoral officer, who in late July referred the question to the court to determine whether it contravenes certain sections of the Constitution Act, such as those related to mobility rights, democratic rights, treaty rights, and the enforcement of guaranteed rights and freedoms.
The court is set to deliver its ruling on whether the proposed question is constitutional before the end of 2025. If approved, the APP’s petition question would require approximately 177,000 signatures collected within 120 days to qualify as a referendum question.
The APP previously told The Epoch Times it sees the delays caused by the review as an opportunity to “further educate Albertans” and share more information about the issue.
The recent Washington talks focused on economic partnerships, energy security, and the “strategic benefits” of an independent Alberta, the APP said, adding that conversations also covered Alberta-U.S. trade and critical mineral development.
The group expects to have follow-up meetings with the U.S. administration once the petition process is underway.
No senior U.S. official has publicly commented on Alberta separation. However, there appears to be some support for Western separation at lower levels of government, with Maine Republican Sen. Joe Martin reportedly writing an open letter to Canada’s West earlier this year outlining his vision for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to join the United States.
B.C. Conservative MLA Brennan Day, who said he was one of the letter’s recipients, posted a public response on Aug. 11 pushing back against the idea.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she doesn’t support separation, but would let the democratic process move forward if a citizen-led petition meets the requirements for a referendum.
She recently concluded a series of cross-province town halls with the Alberta Next Panel to gather public input on proposals to “assert” the province’s sovereignty within Canada. The panel, composed of experts and representatives from various fields, will recommend potential referendum questions for a vote in 2026.
Smith has previously suggested that a number of Ottawa’s policies—which she says have stalled Alberta’s resource development for years or infringed on its sovereignty—could lead to a “national unity crisis” if not addressed by the prime minister. Those policies include the Impact Assessment Act, the oil and gas emissions cap, and the tanker ban off the British Columbia north coast.
