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Canada: Alberta Separation Petition Drive Got a Bad Case of 'Holy SMOKES, We Got This Thing in the Bag'
Hotair ^ | 01/19/2026 | Beege Welborn

Posted on 01/19/2026 8:29:37 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Oh, my GOODNESS! This is some wild news coming out of Canada, and I'm not talking about that loser Carney sucking up to Xi Jinping the Pooh.

Canada announced its “alignment” with China on the Arctic and Greenland. Really dumb move. https://t.co/z6kyDQmZwB— Marc Thiessen 🇺🇸❤️🇺🇦🇹🇼🇮🇱 (@marcthiessen) January 17, 2026

A little over a week ago, the first stops on the petition drive for to force a referendum on separating from Canada began.

The petition was approved by Elections Alberta in December, and after getting organized, the teams went out to start collecting the 178,000 verified signatures they needed to force a referendum on leaving Canada.

As I wrote on the 12th of this month, when the group pulled into Calgary for one of the first stops, they were overwhelmed at the response that awaited them. Their fellow Albertans had lined up in the cold and dark hours before the start of the event to ensure they had a chance to sign the petition.

The scenes were just mindblowing.

Wow, an absolute insane lineup of people - that goes entire city blocks - of people in Calgary waiting to sign a petition to make Alberta an independent sovereign nation. pic.twitter.com/HqB1xaJRs8— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) January 11, 2026

Little did they know these stalwarts would be waiting for them at every stop in the province, even as the bitter Arctic cold swept down into the province on its way into flooding the States as far South as Florida.

No matter. These people were on a mission.

🚨BREAKING: RED DEER — THE LONGEST LINE YET for the Alberta Independence petition.

The lineup keeps growing and people are still arriving! pic.twitter.com/Hbk5FUCYYu— Rise Of Alberta (@RiseOfAlberta) January 15, 2026

Edmonton. There were already an estimated 3-5000 people in line at the park by the time the signature event started at 10 a.m.

BREAKING: Edmonton is ON FIRE for Alberta Independence! The LARGEST lines we've EVER seen! Thousands queuing up to sign and fight for our freedom from Ottawa's grip!
This is the momentum we've been waiting for. Watch the chaos unfold in this video Who's with us? Share if you're… pic.twitter.com/6vzyJL6wed— Derek Smith (@unacceptfringe) January 17, 2026

The lines went for what seemed like miles.

THIS IS HISTORIC. Edmonton turnout is unreal — thousands and thousands of people waiting to sign the Independence petition to choose a new path and protect the next generation from Canada’s downward spiral. pic.twitter.com/DW3tbjzLAK— Rise Of Alberta (@RiseOfAlberta) January 18, 2026

All they have is a couple of folks at a table with chairs to get everyone - no bells or whistles - and it works out fine.

BREAKING Reports are coming in from the EDMONTON, RUNDLE PARK ALBERTA INDEPENDENCE SIGNING EVENT!

3-5000 people were waiting at 10:00 AM to sign the stayfreealberta Alberta Declaration of Independence Petition!

pic.twitter.com/H1GMQdb86i— Jeffrey Rath (@JeffreyRWRath) January 17, 2026

The numbers have suddenly gone so berserk so fast that normally moribund petition signature projections, which initially guided the schedule the separation groups were working on, have been thrown out. They are being fast-tracked into the 'next step' planning stages months ahead of time, thanks to the tremendous and overwhelming response.

...Within the first two weeks, organizers reported collecting over 40,000 signatures, placing them on track to hit the threshold months ahead of schedule

...Petition drives typically struggled to reach 5% of that number. Yet, this effort is trending towards 6 to 7%. Standing for hours in winter conditions is not symbolic behavior. It is literally proof of conviction. This is what real political gravity looks like when ordinary citizens decide an issue is important enough to pay a personal cost to advance it

Rallies are being rescheduled for larger venues as demand exceeds available space.

🚨VENUE CHANGE

The BMO Centre could only accommodate 5,000 people.

The Alberta Independence Indoor Rally has moved to the Big Four Roadhouse, now able to host over 7,500.

Same time. January 26 at 7 PM.

Come sign the Independence Peition.

#AlbertaIndependence pic.twitter.com/ceK2Q5kXxe— Rise Of Alberta (@RiseOfAlberta) January 19, 2026

And more petition-signing stops are being added.

SIGN THE INDEPENDENCE PETITION

Monday, Jan 19th & Tuesday, Jan 20th Events

Monday, Jan 19

Alix — 7:00 PM
Rocky Mountain House — 7:00–9:00 PM

Tuesday, Jan 20

Cremona — 9AM–12PM & 4–7PM
Peace River — 1–7PM
Hythe (Albright) — 4:00 PM (signing only)
Fox Creek — 4PM signing | 7PM…

pic.twitter.com/ywf9kPCrMF— Rise Of Alberta (@RiseOfAlberta) January 19, 2026

And maybe for the first time, many Albertans are seriously taking stock of their natural resources and the hardworking industry they have, and doing that cost/benefit analysis with Ottawa. Many are realizing they don't like what that equation works out to.

Now imagine if you had no carbon tax and other green regulation shenanigans, were free to develop your oil & gas infra and pipelines, and had your own free-trade deals with the US.— FedupCitizen (@FedupCitiz9n)

January 19, 2026

It could very well explain all the extra signing stops they had to add.

Tiny towns are lining up.

Hundreds of people lined up in Okotoks Friday to sign a petition calling for Alberta's independence.

The signing event for a citizen-initiated petition asking if the province should separate from Canada and become an independent state is underway until 8 p.m. at the Viking Rentals Centre.

Dozens of people waited in line outside of the building for their opportunity to sign, and some near the front of the line said the wait was about 25 minutes.

The petition needs 177,732 signatures to force a referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

But the petition requirements being met are a given at this point.

The First Nations are having themselves a fit.

TREATY SAYS YOU CAN"T DO THIS UNLESS WE SMOKE SIGNAL OKAY

Legal proceedings have been initiated to block a petition for Alberta’s separation from Canada over allegations of treaty violations.

Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation has launched legal action against the Alberta government and its chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, in an attempt to block a petition in favour of the separation of the province of Alberta from Canada.

Treaty 8

In a statement issued last week (2 January) by its chief Sheldon Sunshine, the First Nation confirmed that it had filed a statement of claim with the Alberta Court of King’s Bench against Alberta and McClure for failures to “diligently implement” Treaty 8 and for violations of the treaty. Treaty 8 was signed by First Nations and the Crown for “reasons of peace and friendship” in June 1899, prior to the establishment of the province of Alberta, and encompasses 840,000 square kilometres of land. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation also announced its intention to file an urgent injunction to block the petition on 6 January. 

According to Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Alberta is not authorised to separate from Canada without First Nation consent. “This is treaty land. This is the law,” wrote Sunshine. He added that the petition, which asks “do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”, would “invite foreign interference, societal and legal harm on all Canadians who live in Alberta, but especially all First Nations”.

I believe Albertans would tell them the Canadian Constitution says they can.

Every argument against Alberta independence collapses under basic facts. #AlbertaIndependence

Too bad, so sad.

The province had warned back in March, 'Elect another liberal government, and we'll talk about walking.'

And they got Carney.

Without Alberta, Canada is a third world nation

You would think they wouldn’t be so disrespectful

#AlbertaSeparation pic.twitter.com/IBaxZCuEvN— Alberta Separation (@albertaseparate) January 31, 2025

No one ever listens.

Man, those lines are something.



TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alberta; app; beegewelborn; canada; hotair; independence; prosperityproject; referendum; secession; stayfreealberta; unitedkingdom

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1 posted on 01/19/2026 8:29:37 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Isn’t that racist... or something? 🤡


2 posted on 01/19/2026 8:32:54 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ( Klaatu barada nikto.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Grok breakdown:

A citizen-initiated petition to force a referendum on **Alberta’s independence** from Canada has gained explosive momentum since signature collection began in early January 2026. Organized by groups like Stay Free Alberta and the Alberta Prosperity Project, the drive requires **177,732 valid signatures** by May 2 to trigger a vote on whether Alberta should become a sovereign nation. Events in cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and smaller towns have drawn massive crowds—often thousands lining up for hours in freezing winter conditions, with drone footage and reports showing blocks-long queues and overflowing venues upgraded to hold 7,500+ people. Organizers report over 40,000 signatures in the first two weeks, far surpassing expectations and accelerating plans months ahead of schedule, fueled by frustrations over federal policies like carbon taxes, resource restrictions, and perceived Ottawa dominance.

The surge contrasts sharply with opposition, including a lawsuit from **Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation** (under Treaty 8) claiming the petition violates Indigenous treaty rights and requires First Nations consent, seeking an injunction to halt it. Critics tie the movement to broader discontent, including PM Mark Carney’s recent comments aligning with China on Arctic issues, while supporters highlight economic potential in an independent Alberta (e.g., unrestricted oil/gas development and U.S. trade). Though polls show separation support around 30% in major areas (up recently), the unprecedented turnout demonstrates deep grassroots conviction, positioning this as a pivotal challenge to Canadian unity with significant legal and political hurdles ahead.


3 posted on 01/19/2026 8:43:56 PM PST by jroehl (And how we burned in the camps later - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn - The Gulag Archipelago)
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To: SeekAndFind

“. . . Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, . . .”

I hope their federal government does not attack and kill them as so often has happened elsewhere.


4 posted on 01/19/2026 8:45:02 PM PST by jeffersondem
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To: SeekAndFind

Very informative. Thank you for posting. We could be seen the early stages of something very very big.

From the looks of all the economic numbers I have to wonder if Ottawa would consider Force to keep Alberta in Canada. Seems like the country would be broke in months without Alberta. Looks like most of the other provinces are nothing but leeches.


5 posted on 01/19/2026 8:49:58 PM PST by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s, you weren't really there)
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To: jeffersondem

They might try to freeze their bank accounts.


6 posted on 01/19/2026 8:51:45 PM PST by TigersEye (The Democrat/leftist strategy is "maximum chaos until collapse is acheived.")
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To: SeekAndFind

Rocky Mountain House. Has an old fur trading site, now a park. Also hometown
of NHL defenseman Brad Stuart.

Peace River: hometown of Stanley Cup champ goaltender Chris Osgood.

Let’s go Albertans!


7 posted on 01/19/2026 8:57:25 PM PST by rfp1234 (E porcibus unum)
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To: SeekAndFind
Canada announced its “alignment” with China on the Arctic and Greenland.

What's this?! Is Carney really negotiating with China about Greenland? To what end?

8 posted on 01/19/2026 8:59:57 PM PST by Avalon Memories (Obama & Biden Inc. really did provide opportunities for Trump to be murdered.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Now watch, Canada will find some way to declare 90% of those signatures as *invalid* for one reason or another.


9 posted on 01/19/2026 9:23:17 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus….)
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To: metmom

My dad was born in Red Deer. These people aren’t the type who will roll over for Carney and Xi. More POWER to them!


10 posted on 01/19/2026 9:36:01 PM PST by doc maverick
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To: doc maverick

Good!


11 posted on 01/19/2026 9:41:42 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus….)
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To: SeekAndFind

I know nothing of Canadian politics and/or laws, but even if Alberta votes to leave, don’t they still need Ottawa’s APPROVAL to do so? (Meaning that just like Eastern Washington/Oregon, they can vote all they want, but the liberals in charge are NEVER going to let them go).


12 posted on 01/19/2026 9:54:02 PM PST by FrankRizzo890
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To: metmom

That’s what always happens to our petitions in California.
Especially, when something Democrat favored is losing popularity. It never ever fails!


13 posted on 01/19/2026 10:15:19 PM PST by lee martell
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To: SeekAndFind
Just as I said would happen. Donald Blump Chump acts like a fat jackass for whatever reason, completely BLOWS the whole relationship with Canada, (along with CONservative loserweenie Pierre Poilievre blowing his campaign) and the retarded canadian people, out of spite, vote in a communist chinese / WEF agent bitch who will, out of spite, side with China! And as I said, you will see, thanks to chump blump, chinese military in Canada in the next 10 years.

Thanks, Stable Genius!

14 posted on 01/19/2026 10:29:46 PM PST by Captainpaintball (America needs a Conservative DICTATOR if it hopes to survive. )
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To: SeekAndFind

What do you want to be that once this passes (and it will, with Saskatchewan not far behind), the provincial government does everything it can to sow or prevent implementation, like the British government did with Brexit?


15 posted on 01/19/2026 10:33:52 PM PST by TBP (Decent people cannot fathom the amoral cruelty of the Democrat cult.)
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To: All

I tend to be in favor of the independence of Alberta and by extension larger parts of western Canada. However, I suspect the author of this article just made up convenient “facts” about what Carney discussed with Xi last week in China. Any agreements made with Xi about the Canadian arctic would need to be subjected to a debate in parliament, our system of government does not work that way. There have been no indications in news reports about Canada-China agreements concerning the arctic. As for Greenland, Canada signed the same NATO treaty that you signed, which contains an article requiring that all members support any other member attacked by military force. It would be the United States, not Canada, breaking the NATO treaty if the United States were to employ military force to acquire Greenland. I do not consider the arguments advanced by Trump concerning Greenland to be rational given that the United States already has military concessions from Denmark and Greenland and there is no evident threat from adversaries to invade Greenland or take their resources. But that’s not my problem.


16 posted on 01/20/2026 12:17:53 AM PST by Peter ODonnell (Do not go gentle into that good night; rage, rage against the dying of the light -- Dylan Thomas)
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To: Captainpaintball

You must be the 2026 version of MurryMom.


17 posted on 01/20/2026 12:21:17 AM PST by Fury
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To: Captainpaintball
"Just as I said would happen. Donald Blump Chump acts like a fat jackass for whatever reason, completely BLOWS the whole relationship with Canada"

LOL...another leftwing RINO (at best) exposes his low IQ.

Mark Carney, is that you?


18 posted on 01/20/2026 12:34:51 AM PST by newfreep ("There is no race problem...just a problem race")
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To: SeekAndFind

Canadian Law was set up for French Canadian separatists decades ago. Inadvertantly, they set up the legal framework for Alberta, to leave if it wants to.


19 posted on 01/20/2026 2:34:02 AM PST by MMusson ( )
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To: SeekAndFind

Can we swap Alberta for Minneapolis?


20 posted on 01/20/2026 3:46:55 AM PST by finnsheep
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