B.C. premier says Alberta separatists seeking assistance from U.S. is 'treason'

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B.C. Premier David Eby says Alberta separatists meeting with the U.S. administration and seeking financial backing is an act of "treason," as the issue of national sovereignty loomed over a meeting between the premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday.

"To go to a foreign country and to ask for assistance in breaking up Canada, there's an old-fashioned word for that, and that word is treason," said Eby, ahead of the closed-door meeting in Ottawa.

He was reacting to reports that members of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration have held meetings with members of the Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist group that is pushing for the western province to become independent.

The group is seeking a possible $500-billion US line of credit from the U.S. Treasury to help bankroll the new country if they come out victorious in a referendum.

An official with the U.S. State Department confirmed the meetings, saying the department "regularly meets with civil society types," but added that "no commitments were made."

"It is completely inappropriate to seek to weaken Canada, to go and ask for assistance, to break up this country from a foreign power and — with respect — a president who has not been particularly respectful of Canada's sovereignty," said Eby.

"I think that while we can respect the right of any Canadian to express themselves to vote in a referendum, I think we need to draw the line at people seeking the assistance of foreign countries to break up this beautiful land of ours," he said.

APP cofounder calls Eby comments 'defamatory'

Alberta Prosperity Project co-founder Jeffrey Rath pushed back against Eby's comments, calling them "defamatory."

"It's a childish temper tantrum on behalf of a spoiled NDP politician," Rath told CBC News.

"We're thrilled with Premier Eby losing his little mind today and saying the nasty things he's saying and all the insults that he's levying. It's childish, it's defamatory, it detracts from his credibility."

WATCH | Trump officials weighing in on Alberta separation: Trump cabinet minister backs Alberta separatism | Duration 5:58 U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is putting his endorsement behind Alberta separatism. We chatted with Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi on his reaction to those comments.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she "supports a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada," although her critics point out she made it easier last year for an independence petition to succeed .

At a closing news conference Thursday, the premier said she expects the U.S. administration to "confine their discussion about Alberta's democratic process to Albertans and to Canadians," adding she'll raise the issue with both her delegates in Washington and Ottawa.

Asked about the cross-border meetings, Carney would only say he expects the U.S. administration — which has previously made jabs about making Canada the 51st state — to "respect Canadian sovereignty."

The prime minister said Trump has not raised either Alberta or Quebec sovereignty in the leaders' conversations.

"I'm always clear, in my conversation with President Trump, to that effect and then move on to what we can do together," he said.

WATCH | First ministers' meeting overshadowed by separatism concerns: Questions about ‘treason’ overshadow trade strategy meeting in Ottawa | Duration 2:26 After a day of strategizing on difficult U.S. trade talks, the prime minister and premiers ended up fielding questions about a reported meeting between Alberta separatists and Trump officials. B.C. Premier David Eby called the meeting ‘treason,’ while Alberta Premier Danielle refused to condemn the Alberta separatist movement.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew joked to reporters earlier in the day that all the talk makes him want to have a referendum as well.

"Except in Manitoba the question is going to be 'do you want to stay a part of Canada?' and the two choices are going to be yeah and heck yeah," he said before sitting down with his counterparts.

"So that's where we're coming from."

WATCH | Manitoba premier on potential referendums: A Manitoba referendum on staying in Canada would be a choice between 'yeah and heck yeah,' Kinew jokes | Duration 0:27 Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew was asked Thursday about a report saying an Alberta separatist group sought support from U.S. officials ahead of a potential referendum. He joked about what Manitobans might say should they be asked to decide if they want to stay in Canada.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Smith "to stand up and say enough is enough."

Organizers of the Alberta independence movement are collecting signatures in order to trigger a referendum in that province. The pro-independence campaign has been travelling across the province as organizers try to collect nearly 178,000 signatures over the next few months.

Last week, a senior Trump adviser spoke encouragingly about the prospect of Alberta separating from Canada.

A person wears an Alberta First hat while taking part in signing a petition that seeks to have a referendum on Alberta separation. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

"They have great resources. Albertans are a very independent people," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the conservative website Real America's Voice.

"Rumour [is] that they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not.… People are talking. People want sovereignty. They want what the U.S. has got."

Rath said he's been personally involved in the meetings in Washington, but declined to say who specifically he has met with. He pointed to Bessent's comments as evidence that the engagements are gaining traction.

"The officials we've been meeting with in Washington are extremely enthusiastic about the prospect about a free and independent Alberta," Rath said.

Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee also weighed in late last week.

"I think the people of Alberta would agree with the sentiment that they would prefer not to be part of Canada and to be part of the United States, because we are winning day in and day out," he said.

While vocal, recent public polling suggests the pro-independence movement is a minority. A poll released earlier this month found that only one-fifth of Alberta respondents would vote to separate.

The Alberta independence movement isn't the only fracture in the federation.

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who polls suggest is the man to beat in the fall provincial election, has promised a third referendum if he wins.

While St-Pierre Plamondon remains popular, opinion polls generally show that about two-thirds of Quebecers would vote against the idea of an independent Quebec.

The back and forth between the PQ leader and Ottawa has heated up in recent days.

St-Pierre Plamondon has been critical of Carney's speech last week about the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, when the prime minister described the 1759 battle as the start of a "partnership" between French and English people in Canada and called for national unity.

"Mr. Carney, Quebec does not exist because of Canada. In fact, Quebec has survived in its difference and specificity despite Canada," St-Pierre Plamondon said to a standing ovation at the PQ convention over the weekend.

Late last year, the head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) said he's bracing for the possibility that foreign adversaries could try to meddle in the two possible sovereignty referendums.

Dan Rogers told CBC’s Power & Politics in November that CSIS doesn't have a role in "Canadians exercising their opinion" but agreed the manipulation of information could be a vulnerability.

"We definitely have to be attentive to the possibility of information operations or interference," he said.