Separatism and energy: Alberta’s Smith to meet with counterpart in Quebec this week

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

In the past, Smith has encouraged Quebec to develop its energy sector to bring in more revenue in an effort to lift more weight in the nation’s equalization program.

activities cancelled

City of Red Deer closes community sports fields due to heavy rain

2h ago

Support for complex classrooms

CESD approves $151M budget for 2026-27

3h ago

Indigenous education

Red Deer Catholic hosts Indigenous families dinner and sharing circles to help form 3-year strategic plan

4h ago

The federally-funded program gives money to provinces with lower revenues — including Quebec, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces — so they can offer similar levels of services and tax rates as revenue-rich ones — including Alberta and Saskatchewan.

“So if Quebecers want to be strong and sovereign within a united Canada, starting by developing their own resources is number 1,” Smith said before a speech in Montreal last fall.

“I’d love to see Quebec develop a new revenue source so that they can reduce the amount of equalization they get,” she added.

Equalization payments have been a sticking point for separatists in Alberta, who feel they’re being cheated by politicians gathered in Eastern Canada, where provinces most benefit from the program.

On Oct. 19, Alberta is set to pose several referendum questions to voters, including one on separation. It will ask Albertans if they want to remain in Canada or begin the legal process toward a binding referendum on leaving confederation.

Asked about the cost of separation, Smith said Monday that an independent Alberta could face almost $400 billion in transitional costs and about $25 billion to $50 billion in annual costs.

“All of our trade agreements would have to be renegotiated,” she said.

“You don’t get grandfathered in on those, and so that’ll have a disruption in the economy. Presumably, we’d have tariffs on all of goods that are being traded immediately.”

Quebec has long fostered movements advocating to separate from Canada, so secession may also be a topic between Smith and Fréchette, as well as more provincial independence from the federal government.

“I know that I’ve been inspired by Quebec on a number of different fronts in passing legislation, like the Provincial Priorities Act, and others, based on legislation that I saw Quebec had,” Smith said.

Smith added that she doesn’t plan to meet with Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti québécois, while in Quebec. The PQ seeks provincial secession in Quebec.

Smith said while she and Fréchette wish for Alberta and Quebec to remain in Canada as separatism flares in their provinces, both have shared interests in deepening their independence.

“I think that we can have a strong partnership between Quebec and Alberta, not only on how we repair the country so it gets back to the way it was initially intended to run, but also on an energy corridor,” Smith said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2026.

Dayne Patterson, The Canadian Press