The Twelve-Step Program to Keep Alberta in Canada

Many of those opposed to Alberta’s independence rely too heavily on fear-mongering, ridicule, nostalgia, and sentimentality. They warn Albertans about risk, investment uncertainty, mock the movement as unserious, and appeal to history as though the past alone is enough to hold a country together. Fear-mongering Albertans won’t save Canada. But real reforms might.

If the “Forever Canada” group want Alberta to remain in Canada, they should stop telling us to be quiet and start convincing Ottawa that Alberta has legitimate grievances. Scolding us like children will not improve their argument. But recognising our points and working with Ottawa for real, substantial change may.

The real question is what Canada is prepared to do to make staying worthwhile. Here are twelve serious steps Canada could take to show Alberta that Confederation can still be reformed.

1. Repeal the industrial carbon tax.

This would be the boldest and most meaningful step. Ottawa removed the consumer-facing federal fuel charge effective April 1, 2025, but kept its focus on industrial carbon pricing systems. That means Alberta’s energy, petrochemical, manufacturing, agricultural, and electricity sectors remain under federal climate pressure. Repeal the industrial carbon tax outright. Do not rename it. Do not phrase it. Do not “modernise” it. Remove it, and let Alberta regulate Alberta industry.

2. Repeal the tanker ban.

Ottawa cannot tell Alberta to diversify export markets while blocking the infrastructure needed to reach them. The Oil Tanker Moratorium Act prohibits tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude oil or persistent oil products from stopping, loading, or unloading along much of British Columbia’s north coast. In practice, it helped landlock Alberta oil and cut off access to Asian markets. Repeal it completely. Easily done.

3. Convene a constitutional meeting on equalisation.

Albertans voted in 2021 to remove equalisation from the Constitution. The result was clear: 61.7 per cent voted yes. Ottawa largely ignored that democratic signal. That was a mistake. Equalisation, fiscal stabilisation, resource revenue treatment, and per-capita fairness must be put back on the national table. Alberta should not be expected to fund Confederation generously only to be dismissed when it asks for fairness.

4. Reform representation in the House of Commons

Alberta’s population has grown, its economy matters enormously, and its contribution to Canada is undeniable. Yet federal political power remains concentrated in Ontario and Quebec. Ottawa should support a serious redistribution of seats that better reflects Alberta’s population growth and national economic weight. A federation cannot remain healthy when one region pays heavily but has limited political leverage.

A graphic showing the average number of residents represented by each member of Parliament, by province, as of 2025. Photo by Aristotle Foundation /Brice Hall / National Post

5. Reform the Senate

The Senate was supposed to protect regional interests. It does not. Western Canada remains underpowered within an institution meant to balance Confederation. Alberta has demanded Senate reform that gives the West meaningful regional influence rather than ceremonial participation. If the Senate cannot represent the regions fairly, then it is failing one of its original purposes.

6. Guarantee Alberta representation on the Supreme Court

Quebec has protected representation on the Supreme Court of Canada. Alberta does not. That is indefensible when the court regularly hears cases involving natural resources, environmental regulation, Indigenous consultation, federal-provincial jurisdiction, and constitutional limits on Ottawa’s authority. Alberta should have guaranteed representation, or at a minimum, guaranteed western representation, on Canada’s highest court. With the language laws currently in place, this is highly unlikely.

7. Remove or Radically Change the 7/50 Amending rule.

Canada must become reformable. The current constitutional amending formula, often called the 7/50 rule, generally requires approval from Parliament and at least seven provinces representing at least 50% of the population. In practice, that makes meaningful reform nearly impossible and allows the status quo to protect itself. If the rules prevent fairness, the rules themselves must change.

8. Rewrite the Federal Impact Assessment Act

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the federal impact assessment scheme was largely unconstitutional. That should have ended Ottawa’s habit of using environmental assessment as a political veto over provincial resource projects. A rewritten law should include narrow federal jurisdiction, firm timelines, no climate-policy veto, and clear respect for Alberta’s constitutional authority over natural resources.

9. Guarantee a West Coast Pipeline Approval

Albertans and the private companies that must provide the capital and bear the risk have heard enough promises. We have a long history of promises and MOUs. We need a binding federal commitment to approve and defend a new West Coast oil pipeline. Preferably to Prince Rupert. That means legislation, deadlines, limited delay tactics, and real political accountability. Alberta does not need another announcement that dies in consultation, litigation, and bureaucratic hesitation. It needs actual access to tidewater.

10. Abandon Net-Zero Coercion

Albertans are not opposed to cleaner technology, innovation, efficiency, or environmental responsibility. They oppose Ottawa’s use of “net zero” as a permanent excuse to control Alberta’s economy. The federal government should abandon coercive net-zero mandates and allow Alberta to pursue realistic environmental performance without surrendering its energy sector to federal or Davos-driven ideology.

11. Give Alberta Greater Control over Immigration, Electricity, and Health

Alberta’s economy is not Ontario’s, Quebec’s, or Atlantic Canada’s. Alberta needs skilled trades, energy workers, health professionals, construction workers, engineers, agricultural labour, as well as technology talent. Ottawa should transfer far greater immigration selection authority to Alberta and stop imposing one-size-fits-all policies on electricity, health delivery, and workforce planning.

12. Present a credible federal debt and balanced-budget plan

Canada’s fiscal position is now a national competitiveness problem. Budget 2025 projected federal public debt charges rising from $55.6B in 2025–26 to $76.1B in 2029–30. That is roughly $1B per week today, rising to about $1.5B per week by 2029–30 just to service the debt. In plain language, Ottawa is not projecting balanced budgets over that five-year horizon.

That matters to Alberta. A heavily indebted federal government will always look for more revenue, more taxation, and more control over productive provinces. Alberta should demand spending restraint, a credible debt plan, and a realistic path back to balanced budgets. A country that cannot control its own finances has no moral authority to lecture Alberta about responsibility.

These twelve steps would not silence every Albertan who believes independence is the better path. Nor should they. The case for independence is now serious, organised, and growing. But these actions would at least prove Ottawa understands the scale of the problem.

Alberta is not asking for charity. Alberta is asking for fairness, respect, jurisdiction, market access, democratic weight, and fiscal sanity. If Canada cannot offer those things, then it should not be surprised when a majority of Albertans conclude that the only practical answer is to leave and become masters of its own fate.

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