Kenney's Separation Warning: A Closer Look at the Facts
On September 2, 2026, former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney posted a lecture to Albertan separatists, warning them of the consequences of following Quebec's path.
Kenney claimed that adopting Quebec's economic model would mean going from being one of Canada's richest provinces to its poorest large province, with high taxes and an outflow of money and businesses.
However, a closer look at Kenney's claims reveals some inaccuracies. For instance, he stated that Quebec has never been a 'have' province, but this is not true - Quebec began receiving equalization payments in 1957 and has continued to do so ever since.
Kenney also claimed that separatism would lead to economic instability, citing the example of Norway's separation from Sweden. However, he failed to mention that Norway's economy was already strong before its separation, and that many other countries have successfully separated from their neighbors without experiencing economic decline.