Smith’s alignment with
figures like Tucker Carlson, who has openly called for Canada’s
“liberation,” further exposes the ideological overlap between Alberta’s
grievance politics and the American MAGA movement.
By Fareed Khan
Many Canadians likely hoped the end of the federal election would restore political normalcy. But this isn’t how things are unfolding.
Mark Carney’s Liberal Party secured a strong minority mandate to guide Canada through turbulent times, including looming trade negotiations with an unpredictable U.S. administration under Donald Trump. Yet, a vocal faction of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives, led by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, appear unwilling to accept the democratic will of Canadians, instead amplifying narratives of western alienation, and using grievance politics in an attempt to destabilize Carney’s new government.
Many Canadians likely hoped the end of the federal election would restore political normalcy. But this isn’t how things are unfolding.
Mark Carney’s Liberal Party secured a strong minority mandate to guide Canada through turbulent times, including looming trade negotiations with an unpredictable U.S. administration under Donald Trump. Yet, a vocal faction of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives, led by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, appear unwilling to accept the democratic will of Canadians, instead amplifying narratives of western alienation, and using grievance politics in an attempt to destabilize Carney’s new government.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Prime Minister Mark Carney
Carney’s victory, though narrow, was a
clear repudiation of the Conservative Party’s flirtation with MAGA-style
populism. Poilievre’s campaign, endorsed by far right figures like Elon
Musk, Alex Jones, and Joe Rogan, and echoing Trump’s rhetoric, failed
to resonate broadly enough to unseat the Liberals. Yet, rather than
reflecting on this electoral loss, Conservative hardliners have pivoted
to a familiar playbook – portraying Ottawa as an oppressive enemy that
disregards the West. This narrative, one rooted in historical tensions,
is being weaponized to sow division and undermine Carney’s legitimacy.
Danielle Smith is at the forefront of this effort. Even before Carney’s win she framed a Liberal victory as a betrayal of Alberta, accusing the party of attacking the province’s oil-driven economy. Her list of demands — chief among them scrapping clean fuel regulations — reads less like a policy proposal and more like an ultimatum, threatening an “unprecedented national unity crisis” if unmet. Smith’s rhetoric, amplified by social media campaigns like “Make Alberta Great Again,” casts Alberta as a victim of federal overreach, likening the province’s relationship with Ottawa to an “abusive” relationship. Such emotionally charged messaging distorts reality. Canada’s federal policies, including environmental regulations, aim to balance national interests for the benefit of all Canadians, not punish specific regions.
The Alberta separatist movement, though lacking broad support — former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney dismissed its electoral viability — gains traction through coordinated amplification. Online, bot farms and fake accounts flood platforms with divisive content, from deepfake images linking Carney to baseless scandals to memes ridiculing national unity efforts. Rebel News, an extremist, far-right outlet with a history of promoting dangerous and inflammatory narratives, has fuelled these attacks, notably by spreading smears in public spaces.
This digital swamp, often seeded by actors external to Canada, mirrors tactics used in Russian disinformation campaigns that previously targeted the 2019 federal election and the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests.
Additionally, Smith’s alignment with figures like Tucker Carlson, who has openly called for Canada’s “liberation,” further exposes the ideological overlap between Alberta’s grievance politics and the American MAGA movement. Her willingness to appear alongside Carlson underscores a troubling willingness to cozy up to anti-democratic forces. This is not mere opportunism, it’s a calculated strategy to create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where every policy disagreement with Ottawa becomes a referendum on national unity.
The oil industry, a powerful player in Alberta politics, stands to gain immensely. Separatist rhetoric provides cover for demands to prioritize fossil fuel expansion despite the existential climate threat, and despite global market shifts. The narrative that Ottawa “landlocks” Alberta’s resources ignores the reality of record oil production under Trudeau’s tenure and Ottawa’s $34 billion Trans Mountain pipeline investment. Yet, this grievance is peddled relentlessly, with mainstream media often amplifying the “Alberta vs. Canada” story line without sufficient critical scrutiny.
As well as dealing with the spectre of Alberta separatism in the coming years, Carney will face a parliament where Conservative obstructionism is likely to continue. In the last parliamentary session, Poilievre’s party paralyzed committees to push the “Canada is broken” narrative. While Poilievre’s loss of his seat offers temporary respite, his return via a engineered by-election signals plans for more of the same.
Smith, meanwhile, is positioning herself as the de facto opposition leader in the West, using Alberta’s economic clout to challenge Carney’s agenda. Her recent legal action against federal clean electricity regulations, filed just days after the election, sets the tone for relentless confrontation.
This refusal to accept the democratic outcome of the 2025 election is not just dangerous political posturing, it’s a deliberate attempt to destabilize Canada at a time when unity is paramount. As Carney prepares to negotiate with Trump, whose tariffs and annexation rhetoric threaten Canada’s sovereignty, the last thing the country needs is internal sabotage by a provincial premier. The Maple MAGA movement, with its echoes of Trumpism and external backing, risks fracturing the nation through manufactured crises and divisive propaganda.
Carney’s mandate, though imperfect, reflects a collective choice to reject the authoritarian drift embodied by Poilievre’s Conservatives. Yet, the persistent agitation of Smith and Poilievre’s other far right allies, amplified by digital disinformation and oil-funded grievances, challenges the nation to confront this toxicity head-on. If the Carney government is to navigate the external threats posed by Trump and his Canadian allies, it must first quell, in the strongest way possible, the internal forces seeking to tear it apart. And the first place to start is to confront Alberta's premier as she pours fuel onto the fire of western separatism.
Danielle Smith is at the forefront of this effort. Even before Carney’s win she framed a Liberal victory as a betrayal of Alberta, accusing the party of attacking the province’s oil-driven economy. Her list of demands — chief among them scrapping clean fuel regulations — reads less like a policy proposal and more like an ultimatum, threatening an “unprecedented national unity crisis” if unmet. Smith’s rhetoric, amplified by social media campaigns like “Make Alberta Great Again,” casts Alberta as a victim of federal overreach, likening the province’s relationship with Ottawa to an “abusive” relationship. Such emotionally charged messaging distorts reality. Canada’s federal policies, including environmental regulations, aim to balance national interests for the benefit of all Canadians, not punish specific regions.
The Alberta separatist movement, though lacking broad support — former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney dismissed its electoral viability — gains traction through coordinated amplification. Online, bot farms and fake accounts flood platforms with divisive content, from deepfake images linking Carney to baseless scandals to memes ridiculing national unity efforts. Rebel News, an extremist, far-right outlet with a history of promoting dangerous and inflammatory narratives, has fuelled these attacks, notably by spreading smears in public spaces.
This digital swamp, often seeded by actors external to Canada, mirrors tactics used in Russian disinformation campaigns that previously targeted the 2019 federal election and the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests.
Additionally, Smith’s alignment with figures like Tucker Carlson, who has openly called for Canada’s “liberation,” further exposes the ideological overlap between Alberta’s grievance politics and the American MAGA movement. Her willingness to appear alongside Carlson underscores a troubling willingness to cozy up to anti-democratic forces. This is not mere opportunism, it’s a calculated strategy to create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where every policy disagreement with Ottawa becomes a referendum on national unity.
The oil industry, a powerful player in Alberta politics, stands to gain immensely. Separatist rhetoric provides cover for demands to prioritize fossil fuel expansion despite the existential climate threat, and despite global market shifts. The narrative that Ottawa “landlocks” Alberta’s resources ignores the reality of record oil production under Trudeau’s tenure and Ottawa’s $34 billion Trans Mountain pipeline investment. Yet, this grievance is peddled relentlessly, with mainstream media often amplifying the “Alberta vs. Canada” story line without sufficient critical scrutiny.
As well as dealing with the spectre of Alberta separatism in the coming years, Carney will face a parliament where Conservative obstructionism is likely to continue. In the last parliamentary session, Poilievre’s party paralyzed committees to push the “Canada is broken” narrative. While Poilievre’s loss of his seat offers temporary respite, his return via a engineered by-election signals plans for more of the same.
Smith, meanwhile, is positioning herself as the de facto opposition leader in the West, using Alberta’s economic clout to challenge Carney’s agenda. Her recent legal action against federal clean electricity regulations, filed just days after the election, sets the tone for relentless confrontation.
This refusal to accept the democratic outcome of the 2025 election is not just dangerous political posturing, it’s a deliberate attempt to destabilize Canada at a time when unity is paramount. As Carney prepares to negotiate with Trump, whose tariffs and annexation rhetoric threaten Canada’s sovereignty, the last thing the country needs is internal sabotage by a provincial premier. The Maple MAGA movement, with its echoes of Trumpism and external backing, risks fracturing the nation through manufactured crises and divisive propaganda.
Carney’s mandate, though imperfect, reflects a collective choice to reject the authoritarian drift embodied by Poilievre’s Conservatives. Yet, the persistent agitation of Smith and Poilievre’s other far right allies, amplified by digital disinformation and oil-funded grievances, challenges the nation to confront this toxicity head-on. If the Carney government is to navigate the external threats posed by Trump and his Canadian allies, it must first quell, in the strongest way possible, the internal forces seeking to tear it apart. And the first place to start is to confront Alberta's premier as she pours fuel onto the fire of western separatism.
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