Alberta Separatism Could Lead to US-Backed 'Resource Colony'

Alberta separatism has caught the attention of some influential voices in the United States. A recent piece by Peter St. Onge and E.J. Antoni from the Heritage Foundation suggests that a separate Alberta could become the 'Saudi Arabia of the north', providing a shock absorber for the US energy market.

The authors propose that with Alberta's oil resources, the US could achieve 'energy supremacy' and be immune to global price shocks. This vision is not far off from the National Energy Program (NEP) of the 1980s, which aimed to use Canada's oil wealth to stabilize the national economy.

The Canadian Frontier Centre for Public Policy also weighed in on this idea, suggesting that an American takeover of Alberta's resources could be a feasible option. They estimate that Alberta's net present value of oil sands reserves alone accounts for about half of all Canada's natural resource wealth.

Alberta separatists often argue that independence would allow them to maximize the benefits of their oil resources. However, this vision may not align with the interests of the US, which could view Alberta as a 'resource colony' rather than an independent nation.