Conservative Leader Calls for Federal Reform to Counter Alberta Separatism
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre delivered a keynote address in Calgary on Monday, urging Canadians not to treat Albertans drawn to separatism as enemies, but to offer them hope through concrete federal policy changes.
Speaking at a Royal Canadian Legion in downtown Calgary, Poilievre argued that Alberta’s frustration is directed at Ottawa, not Canada itself — and that federalist reform, not demonization, is the path to national unity.
A Vote on Alberta’s Future
The speech comes ahead of an October referendum in which Albertans will be asked whether the province should remain in Canada or whether the provincial government should begin the process of holding a second vote on leaving Confederation.
Separatist sentiment has grown in Alberta amid longstanding grievances over federal energy policy, equalization payments, and what many in the province view as systemic neglect by Ottawa.
‘Not Our Enemies’
“As we debate the fight for a united Canada, we must remember that those who are choosing separation from Canada are not our enemies,” Poilievre told the crowd. “They are our fellow citizens, family members, loved ones, business partners, neighbours and friends.”
He warned against inflammatory rhetoric, saying that “name-calling, fearmongering and ostracizing will only worsen and broaden the divide.”
“Demonizing people who have lost hope in Canada is no way to restore it,” he added.
Policy, Not Separation
Poilievre framed the separatist impulse as a policy failure rather than a fundamental rejection of Canada, delivering what amounted to his central argument of the evening.
“We do not need a different country, Alberta. We need different government policies in Ottawa,” he said.
He blamed the federal Liberal government for allowing separatist sentiment to fester and called on Canadians from other provinces to actively listen to Alberta’s grievances rather than dismiss them.
Building a Cross-Provincial Coalition
Poilievre pointed to Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Quebec as potential allies in pushing for federal reform, arguing that shared grievances could form the basis of a united front.
“Both Quebeckers and Albertans — and probably many others — agree that the provincial governments that pay for the social services and housing of newcomers must have more control over who comes in and how many enter the country,” he said.
“Locking arms with other provinces is a practical, realistic path to a stronger Alberta within a united Canada,” Poilievre added.
Personal Ties to Alberta
Poilievre, who grew up in Alberta before moving to Ottawa to pursue a career in federal politics, invoked the province’s contributions to the country — including the Albertans who served in both world wars and Calgary’s distinction as the first Canadian city to host the Olympic Winter Games.
He currently represents the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot.
He urged Canadians elsewhere to reach out directly to Albertans: “Tell them how much you appreciate and love them, really listen to them.”
Conservatives Mobilizing on Unity
Last month, Poilievre pledged to campaign across Alberta to encourage the province to “stay as part of the Canadian family,” and vowed that the effort would not be his alone. “All Conservatives will be campaigning for Canadian unity in Alberta,” he said.
On Friday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made her own pitch for remaining in Canada to a sold-out crowd of more than 2,000 United Conservative Party supporters — a sign that even within Alberta’s governing party, the federalist case is actively being made.
