CALGARY — Jason Kenney has criticized members of the United Conservative Party caucus over allegations that some have signed a petition calling for a referendum on Alberta independence.The Canadian Press reports the former premier says the MLAs have “no business” supporting a cause that contradicts the party’s founding principles and threatens Canadian unity.In an interview Monday, Kenney said the UCP — which he helped create in 2017 and led until 2022 — was built on a commitment to a strong Alberta within a united Canada.“I’m just a proud Canadian... I bleed red and I’m also a proud Albertan. I don’t believe there’s a contradiction in those two things,” Kenney said.Kenney’s comments come after claims by the Alberta Prosperity Project’s Jeffrey Rath that members of Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP caucus have signed the petition.Rath has previously said provincial privacy rules prevent him from disclosing names.“If you’ve run on a platform — in 2019 and again in the last Alberta election — as someone who believes in a united Canada, then you have no business signing a petition to separate the country,” Kenney stated.“If that’s how you were elected, I sure hope that’s not the case.”Smith was asked about the claim in an interview with CTV News over the weekend at the Conservative Party of Canada’s national convention and said her caucus members are free to sign petitions as individuals.“I don’t police the responses of my MLAs,” Smith said, adding that she was unaware of any caucus members having signed.She described the issue as “hypothetical” and said she believed her caucus was united in supporting “a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.”A spokesperson for the UCP caucus later said the government supports “a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada” and that MLAs are free to express personal views, but added the caucus is not aware of any members signing the petition..Thousands pack Calgary venue in major show of support for Alberta independence.More than 20 UCP backbenchers have reportedly not responded to emailed questions seeking clarification.Kenney declined to speculate on whether UCP MLAs actually signed the petition but said he was outraged by reports that Rath and other independence figures have met with US officials to discuss Alberta leaving Canada.“The idea of Alberta separatists having secret meetings with a hostile administration that has pledged to annex Canada — when they want to sell Alberta to [Trump] — I find frankly repulsive,” Kenney told the CBC.“It just needs to be denounced.”He went on to add that he did not believe Alberta independence was a “fringe sentiment,” as it currently has the support of a “substantial minority.”Kenney also dismissed Rath as a marginal figure and said it was absurd to treat him as a legitimate political leader, saying he “couldn’t get elected dog catcher in Alberta.”“To treat this guy like he’s the incoming head of state is absurd,” he said.The former premier also condemned the White House for agreeing to meet with private citizens advocating the breakup of Canada, calling it an insult to Canadian sovereignty.He urged the federal government to send a strong warning to Washington, saying Canada should impose serious consequences if the Trump administration becomes actively involved in Alberta independence.“We need to send a message — the Carney government should send a telegraph, a discreet message to the White House that if they actively get involved in this Alberta separatist referendum they will face the most severe consequences from Canada.”
