Canada’s Carney urges respect for sovereignty after Alberta separatists meet with U.S. officials

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday he expects President Donald Trump to respect Canada’s sovereignty following reports that Alberta independence activists met multiple times with U.S. officials.

Speaking in Ottawa alongside several provincial premiers, Carney said the issue of Alberta independence has never been raised in his conversations with Trump, adding that he remains focused on areas where the two countries can work together.

The remarks come after British Columbia Premier David Eby sharply criticized the separatist meetings, calling them inappropriate and accusing the activists of undermining national unity at a time of strained U.S.-Canada relations. Eby said Canadians should be standing together, particularly as trade disputes and political tensions continue between the neighboring countries.

A White House official told CNN that administration representatives meet with a variety of civil society groups and emphasized that no support or commitments were made to the Alberta activists.

Alberta, Canada’s oil-rich western province, has long had a small but vocal independence movement. Supporters argue the province is overtaxed and underrepresented within Canada’s federal system. That movement gained renewed attention after Canada’s Liberal Party won the 2025 federal election.

One of the activists involved, lawyer Jeffrey Rath, confirmed to CNN that he participated in the meetings and said the group plans to return to Washington next month to explore financial feasibility options should Alberta ever pursue independence.

Earlier this month, Alberta’s government approved a petition process for a potential independence referendum. Organizers have until May to gather 178,000 signatures from eligible voters. A recent Ipsos poll suggests about 28% of Albertans might support separation.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she does not support independence but cautioned against dismissing those who feel disenfranchised, noting that many residents believe their concerns are not being adequately addressed.

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