Kenny dismisses independence, says chances of success are 'virtually nil'

CALGARY — Jason Kenney claims that Alberta’s independence movement has little chance of succeeding in a possible referendum in October and warned it could fracture the United Conservative Party (UCP) while strengthening Ottawa.Speaking on CBC’s Power & Politics on Thursday night, the former premier argued that Alberta independence parties have struggled historically in federal and provincial elections, having only won one riding in 50 years — a 1982 by-election win by Gordon Kesler in the Olds-Didsbury riding at the height of the National Energy Program (NEP).His comments come as Stay Free Alberta’s Mitch Sylvestre recently turned in 301,620 signatures for the independence petition to Elections Alberta officials on Monday, far surpassing the 177,732 signatures required to trigger a referendum..Kenney also dismissed the likelihood of Alberta ever successfully leaving Canada, arguing the constitutional hurdles are nearly impossible to overcome even if a referendum passed.“I say to the separatists, you have no realistic prospect of getting near 50%, and even if you do, then we go to endless and pointless negotiations that lead nowhere,” Kenney said, adding that if the path laid out in the Supreme Court’s secession reference and the federal Clarity Act is followed, a successful vote would only trigger lengthy constitutional negotiations requiring unanimity among the Canadian provinces.“The prospect of actual separation is virtually nil,” he said.He also warned that a surge in independence politics would benefit Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals.“There will be a rally around the flag effect for Prime Minister Carney in Alberta, particularly amongst mainstream urban Albertans,” he said.“The separatists are not actually strengthening Alberta. The knife-to-the-throat metaphor that people use, ‘Quebec's been doing this for sixty years, why don't we replicate their threat?’ All you end up doing is electing more Liberal MPs from Alberta, fewer Conservatives who are defending the province's interests in Ottawa, and potentially electing an NDP government through a vote split.”.Kenney to share stage with Liberal MP at anti-independence event.He then stated that independence proponents should pursue their goals through what he called “normal parliamentary politics” by forming their own parties and running in elections instead of “infiltrating” the UCP.“You've got a point of view. In a democracy, you can express it. Put it on the ballot and test it,” he said.“You've been doing that for fifty years and failing, so you don't get to take over a governing party that was elected on a mandate of federalism."Critics were quick to pounce on Kenney’s comments, with some pointing to his own track record as premier.“If anyone knows about how to fail at a referendum, it’s Jason Kenney,” one commentator on X said.“After all, he wasted Albertans’ time with a referendum on equalization. He received the desired result, then did absolutely nothing about it.”Political commentator Marc Nixon also mocked Kenney’s appearance on the show..“Jason Kenney went on CBC to call out Alberta separatists as a small fringe minority with unacceptable views,” Nixon said.“Not in those words, but same same. He should go back on CBC if he wants the province to separate. He’s a gift.”“Good to know, Jason, that you’re thumbing your nose at people who feel Alberta has been shafted by Liberal governments for 50 years,” another X user wrote.“Your contempt for those people is why you got ousted as premier. I’m waiting for you to join the Liberals as a candidate — it’s where you belong.”

Kenny dismisses independence, says chances of success are 'virtually nil'

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