U.S. Treasury Secretary comments on separatism in Alberta

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has weighed in on the separatist movement in Alberta, calling Canada’s western province a “natural partner for the United States.”

“Alberta has great natural resources, but they’re not going to let them build a pipeline to the Pacific,” Bessant said in an interview with right-wing U.S. commentators on Thursday.

“I think we should let them come to the United States, and Alberta is a natural partner for the United States. They have great resources. Albertans are a very independent people.”

The senior U.S. official’s comments come amid tensions between the U.S. and Canada and as the province collects signatures for a referendum on independence.

“There are rumors that they might have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada,” Bessant said in comments to conservative host Jack Posobik.

An Alberta group has until May to collect at least 178,000 signatures, or 10 per cent of eligible voters, for a referendum campaign.

Asked about Bessant’s remarks on Friday, federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he would tell him “thank you, but no thank you, we will do our own thing”.

He said Canadians “can develop our natural resources at home,” pointing to an agreement Prime Minister Mark Carney recently signed with Alberta that opens the door to an oil pipeline to the Pacific Ocean. It’s a project long promoted in Canada’s oil heartland but faces significant hurdles.

A spokesperson for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement to the BBC that the province supports “new pipelines in the west, east, north and south, and we will continue to work with our U.S. partners to build additional pipeline capacity for the U.S. market.”

“But the prime minister also believes that the vast majority of Albertans are not interested in becoming a U.S. state.”

Late last year, a petition gathered more than 430,000 signatures calling for Canada to unite against separatist forces, and polls show that a majority of Albertans want to remain in Canada.

Many separatist supporters have also told the media that they are seeking independence from Canada rather than joining the United States.

Mitch Sylvestre is leading the referendum petition; told CBC News on Friday that he doesn’t think anyone in his movement is paying attention to the United States.

He said he thought Bessant’s comments about Alberta and the United States being “natural partners” were obvious given the energy trade between them.

Still, some organizers of the movement said they had traveled to Washington to meet with Trump administration officials.

Meanwhile, trade talks between the United States and Canada have stalled, with President Donald Trump expressing anger at the prime minister’s blunt remarks. Speech delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos Calls for “big powers” ​​to weaponize their economic power.

trump card responded in his own speech: “Canada exists because of the United States. Mark, remember that the next time you make a statement.”

Other U.S. officials also criticized Carney’s speech, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who this week accused Canada of “arrogance” and Carney’s anti-American stance to appeal to domestic audiences.