Carney, Smith React to Reports of Alberta Independence Advocates Meeting With US Officials

Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) and premiers look on as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith responds to a question during a news conference following the First Ministers Meeting in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2026. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith say they expect the U.S. administration to “respect Canadian sovereignty” amid reports of Alberta independence advocates meeting with U.S. officials.

Speaking to reporters at a Jan. 29 press conference at the conclusion of a first ministers meeting in Ottawa, Smith said she expects that the U.S. administration would leave the “discussion about Alberta’s democratic process to Albertans and to Canadians.”

“I will raise that with my delegate in Washington, so he can raise it with members of the administration, and I will raise it with my delegate in Ottawa, so he can raise it with the U.S. ambassador,” Smith said.

Carney avoided commenting on the issue at first, but when asked again after Smith commented, he said, “I fully associate myself with Premier Smith’s comments just then. We expect the U.S. administration to respect Canadian sovereignty.”

“I’m always clear in my conversation with President Trump to that effect, and then move on to what we can do together,” Carney added.

Interest in the subject comes after the Financial Times posted an article saying U.S. administration officials have held meetings with Alberta independence advocates of the Alberta Prosperity Project three times in Washington since last April.

Meetings between the Alberta sovereignty group and senior U.S. officials have been reported in the media before, with the initial meeting taking place in April and the second meeting taking place in October. The group’s chair and co-founder, Dennis Modry, said in October that the purpose of the meetings was “to elaborate on the substantive mutual benefit to both US citizens and Alberta citizens consequent to Alberta becoming a sovereign country.”

Jeffrey Rath, general counsel for pro-independence group Stay Free Alberta that is collecting signatures for a referendum, told The Epoch Times on Jan. 26 that the movement he is advocating for doesn’t want to join the United States, but instead wants to have close relations with the southern neighbour, including a free trade agreement without tariffs.

B.C. Premier David Eby commented on the matter ahead of the first ministers meeting on Jan. 29, telling reporters the meetings between independence advocates and White House officials amounts to “treason.”

“I understand the desire to hold a referendum to talk about the issues you want to talk about in Canada ... but to go to a foreign country and to ask for assistance in breaking up Canada, there’s an old-fashioned word for that, and that word is treason,” Eby said, adding that he would raise the issue at the first ministers meeting later that day.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also commented on the matter, saying it is “unacceptable” to go “behind Canada’s back” and negotiate with the United States. However, he said he didn’t know if it could be called “treason.”

“We shouldn’t have groups going around the federal government’s back or the province’s back to negotiate something with the U.S.,” Ford said.

“I don’t know about treason. It’s unacceptable, it’s unethical,” he added.

The Criminal Code of Canada says treason involves the use of “force or violence for the purpose of overthrowing the government of Canada or a province.” It also involves someone, “without lawful authority,” communicating or making available military or scientific information to a foreign agent, or any military or scientific sketch, plan, model, article, note, or document.

The Code also says treason is when someone “conspires with any person to commit high treason,” which it describes as killing, attempting to kill, or harming a monarch, levying war against Canada, or assisting an enemy at war with Canada.

Albertans line up at the Big Four Building to sign a petition to trigger a referendum asking if Alberta should secede from Canada, in Calgary on Jan. 26, 2026. The Canadian Press/Dayne Patterson

Independence Rallies

The discussion of the Alberta independence group’s meetings also comes amid rallies and petitions across Alberta in support of Alberta separation. Thousands of Albertans have been lining up in various locations across the province to add their names to a petition submitted to Elections Alberta by Alberta Prosperity Project, which calls for a referendum on separating from Canada.

The petition asks Albertans: “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” Proponents of the petition have until May 2 to collect 177,732 signatures, which is equal to 10 percent of the total number of votes cast in the last provincial general election.

The project’s CEO Mitch Sylvestre has previously said that a referendum is needed because of Ottawa’s regulations restricting oil and gas development in Alberta, as well as the province’s low chances of seeing a significant change at the federal level that aligns with its interests.

Smith told reporters on Jan. 29 that she has “always been clear that me and our United Conservative caucus are supportive of a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.” She said Canada needs to “give Albertans hope” and show them that “Canada can work.”

Carney has said he “understands the frustrations” in Alberta when it comes to the issue of resource development, but that Canada is stronger when it’s united.

Carolina Avendano and Paul Rowan Brian contributed to this report.