Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has issued a stern warning against pursuing separation for Alberta — labeling the idea as divisive, rooted in a small group of discontented voices, and dangerous for the province’s social fabric. His comments come amid ongoing discussions about making it easier to put a referendum on quitting Canada to the ballot.
Speaking from a Calgary boardroom at Bankers Hall, where he now serves as a senior adviser to a law firm, Kenney was frank about the potential fallout of a separation referendum. “It’s bananas if we allow a tiny perennially angry minority to drag the whole province through a deeply divisive debate.”
He added that if the issue ever made it to a vote, it would strain families, friendships, businesses, churches, and community organizations alike.
Kenney’s stance comes at a moment when Alberta’s United Conservative Party government, led by Premier Danielle Smith, has introduced changes to make it easier for citizens to trigger referenda — including ones on separation. Among those changes: lowering the number of signatures needed to initiate a petition and shrinking the time allowed to collect them.
Under Bill 54, for instance, the threshold was lowered from 20% of eligible voters to 10% of the votes cast in the previous provincial election.
Kenney said he opposes separation, reflecting that his view has drawn harsh criticism. On social media, he says he has been called a traitor and even faced threats. He finds it ironic given his past as a Conservative cabinet minister and Premier, when he led challenges against federal policies such as the carbon tax, Bill C-69, and the plastics ban.
He also pushed back against the idea that separation has strong legitimacy in Alberta, arguing that the movement remains marginal. “We’re talking about at most a few thousand people,” he said.
According to Kenney, separatism has a long history in the province, but with very limited success. The only notable win: Gordon Kesler of the Western Canada Concept party in a 1982 by-election, which was later lost.
Despite Kenney’s firm rejection of leaving Canada, he says he would not rule out taking up a public leadership role if separation did make it onto the ballot — but only under exceptional circumstances. “The uncertainty and division created by a referendum would be deeply damaging,” he said, adding that Albertans’ time might be better spent fighting for a stronger Alberta within Canada.
Kenney, 57, also confirmed that he currently has no plans to return to politics. He has recently traveled to wartime Ukraine to assist in delivering aid through the Knights of Malta.
What’s Changing on Referenda Rules in Alberta
Bill 54, formally known as the Election Statutes Amendment Act, was passed on May 15, 2025, and lowered the threshold needed for ci tizen-led petitioned referenda.
Under the new rules, petitions must gather signatures equal to 10% of votes cast in the prior provincial election rather than 20% of eligible voters.
One active petition, Alberta Forever Canada, proposes a question asking whether Alberta should remain in Canada. It was approved by Elections Alberta and must gather roughly 290,000 signatures by late October 2025 to trigger a referendum.
As Alberta grapples with rising talk of separatism, Kenney warns that giving wings to the idea would bring more harm than clarity. He argues strongly for staying the course within Confederation — and for ensuring that debate doesn’t fracture the province in pursuit of an agenda he views as unsupported and dangerous.
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