What to Ask an Alberta Separatist (If You Actually Want a Conversation)

I keep hearing a familiar refrain lately: Alberta should separate.

Sometimes it’s said jokingly. Sometimes angrily. Sometimes with a deep sigh that carries years of frustration. And often, it’s followed by an immediate shutdown of conversation...either because people don’t want conflict, or because we’ve been trained to believe politics is impolite dinner-table material in Canada.

But here’s the thing: when people stop talking, ideas don’t disappear. They harden.

So instead of arguing, dismissing, or rolling our eyes, I started asking a different question: What should I ask a separatist Albertan if I actually want to understand them, and gently challenge the idea, at the same time?

This isn’t about winning a debate. It’s about learning what’s really underneath the slogan.

Start With Understanding, Not Counterarguments

If someone tells you they support Alberta independence, the instinct is to jump straight to economics, legality, or “that would never work.”

Resist that urge.

Instead, ask:

• “What’s the main problem separatism solves for you?”

• “Was there a moment or policy that pushed you toward this idea?”

• “Do you see this as a serious end goal, or more of a protest?”
  

These questions do something important: they move the conversation from ideology to experience. More often than not, the answer isn’t “I hate Canada.” It’s I feel ignored, I feel punished, or I feel unheard.

That matters.

Clarify What They Actually Mean by “Independence”

“Separatism” is a broad word that can mean wildly different things to different people. Some imagine a fully sovereign country. Others just want Quebec-style autonomy with better leverage.

So ask:

• “When you say independence, what does that look like in practice?”

• “Is there a model you admire such as Scotland, Norway, something else?”

• “What would success look like five years after separation?”

This isn’t a trap. It’s an invitation to move from feelings to frameworks. Many people haven’t been asked to articulate the details before, and that’s not a moral failing. It’s just human.

Gently Test the Idea With “How” Questions

This is where the challenge comes in... The key is to replace “but” with “how.”

Instead of saying “That would destroy pensions,” ask:

• “How would pensions, EI, and CPP work during the transition?”

• “What happens if oil prices drop in the first few years?”

• “Would independence lower costs for everyday Albertans, or raise them?”

  
  

These questions aren’t accusations. They’re reality checks. If someone has answers, you learn something. If they don’t, the absence speaks for itself...without you needing to point it out.

Ask About Democracy and Consent

Separatism isn’t always just an economic project. It is also a democratic one.

Try:

• “What level of public support would make separation legitimate to you?”

• “If the vote was close, what happens to the people who voted no?”

• “Should cities like Edmonton or Calgary have a different say if they disagree?”

These questions shift the focus from “us versus Ottawa” to “us with each other.” That’s often where the conversation gets quieter, and more honest.

Don’t Skip Indigenous Rights and Treaties

This part matters deeply, and how someone responds here tells you a lot, not to judge them, but to understand how fully the idea has been considered.

Ask:

• “How would independence respect existing treaties?”

• “Would First Nations have the option to remain part of Canada?”

• “What happens if Indigenous nations don’t consent?”

You’re not accusing. You’re acknowledging reality: treaties are nation-to-nation agreements that don’t disappear because a province wants a different future.

Reflect What You’re Hearing

One of the most powerful tools in any conversation is reflection.

Say things like:

• “It sounds like this is more about frustration with Ottawa than leaving Canada.”

• “I’m hearing a lot about control over resources, not identity.”

• “This seems driven by feeling ignored, not wanting division.”

People soften when they feel accurately understood. And once defensiveness drops, nuance has room to breathe.

End With an Open Door, Not a Verdict

You don’t need to “close” the conversation. Let it stay open.

Try:

• “What part of separatism are you least sure about?”

• “Is there anything Canada could realistically change that would make separation unnecessary?”

• “What do you wish critics of separatism understood better?”

These questions invite complexity, the opposite of slogans.

A Quiet Truth We Don’t Say Enough

Most Alberta separatists aren’t dreaming of borders and passports.

They’re responding to alienation, grievance, and a sense of powerlessness.

Separatism becomes a language for saying “something isn’t working, and no one is listening.”

Asking better questions doesn’t mean agreeing.

It means refusing to let frustration turn into silence, or into something harder.

And maybe, just maybe, it means we remember how to talk to each other again.