The organization behind Alberta's independence referendum campaign is pushing back against warnings from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, arguing that federal policies — not a potential vote on separation — represent the greatest risk to Alberta's economic future.In a statement released Wednesday, Let Alberta Decide criticized the Chamber for focusing on the potential uncertainty of Alberta independence while overlooking what it describes as years of federal policies that have undermined the province's economy."The Chamber is measuring fear, not opportunity," said Keith Wilson, KC, co-lead of Let Alberta Decide. "It is warning Albertans about hypothetical uncertainty from independence while ignoring the real uncertainty Alberta businesses have lived with under Ottawa."Wilson argued that federal governments have spent years restricting Alberta's key industries through regulations, taxes, project delays and resource development policies."The greatest threat to Alberta's economy is not Albertans having a democratic vote on their future," Wilson said. "The greatest threat is allowing Ottawa to keep blocking, capping, taxing, delaying and politicizing the industries that built this province."The response follows a Calgary Chamber of Commerce release expressing concerns about the economic uncertainty that could accompany Alberta independence.Let Alberta Decide said Alberta's economic fundamentals remain strong despite what it characterizes as a hostile federal policy environment."Alberta's farmland is not moving. Alberta's oil and gas reserves are not moving. Our skilled trades, engineers, entrepreneurs, service companies, infrastructure and young workforce are here," Wilson said. "Alberta is not a branch office economy. Alberta is a producing economy.".The group also pointed to reports showing more than $1 trillion in capital left Canada between 2015 and 2024, arguing that businesses have already been responding to federal policy uncertainty."Businesses do not leave because a people debate their future," Wilson said. "Investment leaves when governments make the rules unpredictable, and Ottawa has done that to Alberta for more than a decade."Wilson said an independent Alberta would gain direct control over resource regulation, taxation, immigration, infrastructure approvals, trade policy and pipeline development."Albertans should be making the decisions that shape Alberta's economy," he said. "Those decisions determine whether projects get built, whether jobs are created, and whether young Albertans can build their futures here at home."The organization also rejected comparisons between Alberta independence and Brexit, a parallel often raised by critics of separation."Brexit is the wrong analogy," Wilson said. "The UK moved away from its largest market. Alberta independence would allow Alberta to negotiate directly with our largest and most important market — the United States — without Ottawa sacrificing Alberta's interests to protect Central Canadian priorities."Let Alberta Decide further challenged the Chamber's survey results, arguing the poll was based only on members who chose to respond and did not represent Alberta businesses or the broader public."If the Chamber wants its poll treated as evidence, it should release the evidence," Wilson said. "Albertans deserve to see the questions, sample size, response rate and methodology."Wilson concluded by arguing Alberta possesses the economic resources and institutional capacity necessary to succeed as an independent country."Alberta has the resources, institutions, workforce and economic capacity to be a successful independent country," he said.
