The Trump administration has held a series of quiet meetings with leaders of a fringe separatist group from Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta, a new report published in the Financial Times said, as relations between Washington and Ottawa continue to deteriorate.
Members of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), which advocates Alberta’s independence from Canada, met US State Department officials in Washington at least three times since April last year, according to people familiar with the matter. The group is now seeking to schedule another meeting next month with officials from the State and Treasury Departments to propose a $500 billion credit facility to support Alberta if a future independence referendum is approved.
Jeff Rath, legal counsel for the APP, who attended the meetings, claimed that US officials were supportive of an independent Alberta. He also suggested that his group enjoys better access to the Trump administration than Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. US officials, however, denied offering any support. A State Department spokesperson said the meetings were routine engagements with civil society groups and that no commitments were made.
The Treasury Department distanced itself from the proposal. A person familiar with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s thinking said neither he nor senior Treasury officials were aware of any request for a credit facility and had no plans to engage on the issue. The Treasury declined to comment publicly.
The contacts come amid growing tensions between the US and Canada. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Carney clashed last week after Carney accused Washington of creating instability in the global order. While US officials are unlikely to back Alberta’s independence movement, the meetings highlight a strain in bilateral relations.
Alberta has a long-standing but limited separatist movement. Recent polling suggests about 30 per cent of residents would support separation in a referendum. The APP is attempting to gather enough signatures to force a legislative debate on independence.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has opposed independence, saying most residents do not support the idea. A counter-campaign backing Canada’s unity has attracted significantly more signatures than the separatist petition.
