Foreign Money, Domestic Chaos
Imagine if Quebec separatists once asked Russia to bankroll their independence. Or if British Columbia flirted with Beijing to break off from Canada. It would be unthinkable, right? Now imagine Alberta separatists meeting with officials from Donald Trump’s White House—asking for a $500 million loan to help leave Canada.
That is not fiction. It reportedly happened. And it should alarm every Canadian, no matter where they live or how they vote.
In April 2025, a delegation of Alberta separatists traveled to Washington, D.C., meeting privately with former Trump officials to push their agenda. Alongside discussing a proposed $500 million loan for independence, they explored the idea of Alberta not just breaking from Canada but becoming part of the United States—as a literal “51st state.” This wasn’t a government-led mission; it was organized by fringe activists aiming to court foreign cash and influence. Their actions suggest these separatists may not actually want full independence—but rather U.S. annexation under a different flag.
The idea of Alberta accepting a half-billion-dollar loan from a foreign government to fund separation is dangerous and disgraceful. It shows why Alberta independence is not just unrealistic—it is reckless. It would make Alberta poorer, weaker, and more vulnerable to foreign manipulation. It will drive corporations and investment away from Alberta. Our problems are real, but turning to outsiders for cash to break up the country is not the solution.
1. You Don’t Get Independence by Owing Favors
Independence means self-rule. It means controlling your own decisions, laws, and future. But how can Alberta claim it wants independence—while reportedly asking a foreign government for $500 million to make it happen?
That is not freedom. That is dependency.
According to a recent report by DeSmog, Alberta separatist delegates met with former Trump officials in Washington. They discussed a loan to help Alberta “become a sovereign nation for the first time.” The Trump side suggested they had private backers ready to fund the breakaway effort.
Let’s not sugar-coat this. Taking money from American politicians to break up Canada is not patriotism. It’s betrayal.
If Alberta leaves Canada with help from the U.S., it won’t be truly independent. It will owe political favours to the same group of people who stormed their own Capitol building, denied climate science, and nearly tore apart American democracy. That’s the team Alberta would be linked to—by choice.
And they won’t help for free. They’ll expect something in return—energy deals, deregulation, political loyalty. That’s not sovereignty. That’s selling out.
2. The Economics of Separation Don’t Add Up
Some people pushing for Alberta separation say it’s about “keeping our money.” They argue Ottawa takes too much and gives too little in return. But this argument ignores reality—and ignores what Alberta would lose by walking away.
Right now, Alberta has access to Canadian trade agreements, a stable currency, and a large internal market. Alberta’s oil, gas, beef, grain, and services move freely across provinces. Alberta businesses sell billions to B.C., Ontario, and Quebec every year. That stops being simple if Alberta becomes a foreign country overnight.
Building a border. Creating a new currency. Setting up embassies. Launching a military. Replacing federal programs like CPP, EI, and Old Age Security. Renegotiating treaties with Indigenous nations. All of this would cost billions—and no one knows who would pay. But somehow, Alberta separatists claim they will run a $65 billion surplus, eliminate income tax, fully fund every service (including a military), and still come out ahead—all in year one. Their so-called economic plan, (crafted in crayon by their accountant “Bigfoot,”) reads more like satire than policy. If things are so financially rosy, why were they begging Trump’s team for a $500 million loan?
A $500 million U.S. loan is not a solution. It would not even cover the paperwork.
And let’s not forget investor confidence. If Alberta breaks from Canada, uncertainty explodes. Global investors hate uncertainty. So do credit agencies. The cost of borrowing would rise, investment would fall, and Alberta’s economy would suffer—just when it needs to rebuild itself from scratch. This happened to Quebec in the 1990s, and Alberta will suffer the same fate.
That’s not strength. That’s a self-inflicted wound.
3. Foreign Interference Should Outrage Us All
This should be the most alarming part of all: a foreign government actively discussed helping part of Canada break away.
We rightly worry about foreign election interference. So why are we not equally outraged about this?
According to the report, Trump officials suggested a multi-hundred-million-dollar loan to support Alberta’s move toward independence. That is not just a policy discussion. That’s direct foreign involvement in Canada’s unity.
The U.S. would never accept this in reverse. Imagine if French officials met with Texas separatists and offered money to help them leave. There would be outrage. There would be consequences.
But somehow, when it’s Alberta and it’s Trump’s people, we’re supposed to treat it as just another idea?
No. Canadians of all political stripes should reject this. Loudly.
The separatists involved in these discussions did not speak for Alberta. They acted recklessly, and they acted in secret. They embarrassed this province and handed ammunition to anyone who says Alberta cannot be trusted.
Let’s prove them wrong—by standing up for ourselves, by working to fix what’s broken, and by rejecting the idea that we need foreign help to get ahead.
This Isn’t About “Freedom.” It’s About Being Used.
This whole situation shows us something important: Alberta separatism isn’t about standing on our own two feet. It’s about being used by outsiders who see us as a pawn in their games. Donald Trump’s allies don’t care about Alberta. They care about weakening Canada—and about what they can get from us in return.
Alberta is Better Staying in Canada
1. Alberta has power. Use it—don’t throw it away.
Alberta is not some weak, voiceless region. We’ve helped shape Canada’s energy policies, economy, and culture. If we do not like what Ottawa is doing, we can change it through elections, influence, and leadership. Leaving the table is not a solution—it’s surrender.
2. Separation solves nothing—but creates chaos.
From pensions to trade to Indigenous relations, separating would cause confusion, conflict, and court battles. It would delay real solutions to the real problems we face: affordability, health care, jobs, and education. It would divide Albertans when we need to work together.
3. We are better than this.
We do not need Trump’s money. We do not need to burn the flag to make a point. We can fight for fairness within Canada. And we can win. But only if we stay in the game.
Final Word
Foreign-funded separation is not independence. It is weakness wrapped in the language of freedom. The $500 million Trump-linked loan proposal shows us how low this debate has sunk—and how far some are willing to go.
Albertans deserve better than backroom deals with foreign power brokers. We deserve real leadership, real ideas, and real unity.
That starts by rejecting separatism—and by standing up for Alberta inside a strong, united Canada.