EDMONTON — Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas says most Albertans want to address Alberta's grievances within Canada, but a fraction focus on Alberta independence and the problems of Confederation. "We want to fix some of the issues that arise, but the problem is you're going to have a very small minority of folks who are so deranged on this topic, they assume that Justin Trudeau is around," said Farkas on Monday's episode of CBC's Power and Politics. "They'll blame him for everything from why we lose our socks in the dryer, why we sell hot dog buns in packages of 12, but we sell hot dogs in packages of eight. It's absolutely ridiculous." Farkas and Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack joined host David Cochrane to discuss the ongoing Alberta independence movement, following a recent Globe and Mail report that detailed, among other things, US Republican strategists coming to Calgary to meet with nationalist leaders. "Well, it's a reminder of what's at risk," said Knack about the report. "You know, this is not about a conversation about being an independent Alberta. This is a conversation about the United States looking to just take us over, and that, to me, has been part of the challenge of this: is that this is a very dangerous path." .The Globe and Mail report detailed a January meeting in Calgary between Alberta Prosperity Project leaders and Republican strategists who designed a software used to help campaign and get voters to the polls. The meeting was brokered by Alberta independence activist David Parker. Parker reportedly did much of the talking and pitched the APP leaders on how the software could help push the movement to victory in a referendum. APP CEO Mitch Sylvestre allegedly shut down the idea because of the Americans' involvement and discomfort with the software. The Globe article also rehashed information from a previously reported meeting in Washington, D.C., between Alberta independence advocates and US officials. It added details about the advocates allegedly offering fresh water access and oil royalties to the US in exchange for their support for an independent Alberta. Jeffrey Rath, who participated in the meetings, denied these allegations and said attendees went as private citizens. ."Well, it's such disingenuous bullcrap," Farkas said about the report. "Look, if you want to live in the United States, move to the United States. The rest of us here in this province, we want to work together with the rest of the country.""We want to build. We want to make our cities, respectively, more affordable. And this whole debate over who is quote unquote a 'real Canadian,’ or a quote unquote 'real Albertan,' it's such an incredibly disingenuous sideshow from the real issues that we're facing in our major urban centers."It is not unusual for Canadians and Americans to interact and lend political assistance to each other, nor for private citizens to meet with international officials. This situation has drawn increased criticism because of the topic, and some have called for guardrails to deter such involvement. Farkas said no laws will prevent "these bad actors from doing what they will to attempt to tilt the scales." He added a remark about the irony he sees in Alberta independence supporters wanting to trade an "overbearing Ottawa" for an "incredibly overbearing Washington." Most Alberta independence supporters claim they agree with this point, which is why they are fighting for an Alberta nation.
