Canadian Officials Warn of Foreign Interference After U.S. Talks With Alberta Separatists

Canadian officials and political figures have warned of potential foreign interference after reports that members of the Trump administration held meetings with Alberta separatists seeking U.S. support for the province's independence amid growing tensions between Washington and Ottawa.

Leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), a fringe separatist group advocating for Alberta's secession from Canada, met U.S. State Department officials in Washington on three occasions since April last year, according to people familiar with the discussions, the Financial Times reported. The group has also sought further meetings with U.S. officials to discuss financial support in the event of a future independence referendum.

"The department regularly meets with civil society types. As is typical in routine meetings such as these, no commitments were made," a State Department spokesperson told the news outlet in response, while a White House official similarly stated that no support or commitments had been conveyed.

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Canadian concerns about external influence have been amplified by rhetoric surrounding the separatist movement. "We're seeing evidence of foreign interference," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, pointing to online campaigns and political messaging linked to U.S. actors. "It doesn't feel organic, we are being targeted by the Maga crowd."

A spokesperson for Canada's Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc underscored Ottawa's position that Alberta remains central to the federation, saying the federal government is working to renew its relationship with the province "based on common objectives and respect for each other's jurisdiction."

The talks come as relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent months, with President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney clashing last week after Carney accused Washington of contributing to a "rupture" in the global order.

The Alberta independence movement, long marginal in Canadian politics, has gained renewed visibility in recent years amid debates over energy policy and federal-provincial relations. However, public support remains limited: an Ipsos poll found that only 28 percent of Albertans would vote to leave Canada. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office told The Financial Times that "the overwhelming majority of Albertans are not interested in becoming a U.S. state."

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