Premier Danielle Smith has strongly criticized separatist leaders for offering the United States government access to water resources and royalties in exchange for support in establishing an independent Alberta. The details of these meetings were reported by the Globe and Mail, though CBC News has not verified the information independently.
Smith denounced the actions as outrageous and emphasized that such decisions should be made by Albertans, expressing doubt that the citizens would support such offers. The meetings between Alberta separatists and U.S. State Department officials in Washington in late 2025 were already public knowledge, but the specifics of the offers were newly disclosed.
Reportedly, Dennis Modry, a co-founder of the Alberta Prosperity Project, revealed the nature of the offer, while Jeff Rath, a lawyer associated with the separatist movement, denied discussing those matters with U.S. officials. Smith has faced criticism for including a question in Alberta’s upcoming referendum about the province’s future within Confederation.
When questioned about potentially encouraging U.S. involvement by posing this question, Smith avoided a direct response, attributing the criticism to her stance on remaining in Canada. She emphasized the importance of the American administration engaging with duly elected governments, including hers and the Canadian government.