CALGARY — Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist W. Brett Wilson has endorsed the Vote to Stay campaign, urging Albertans to reject independence and focus on rebuilding Alberta’s economy within a stronger, unified Canada.Wilson — who co-founded FirstEnergy Capital Corp. and later became widely known as a panellist on CBC's Dragons' Den — said in a video released Friday that many Albertans are frustrated with Ottawa’s policies over the last decade but argued the province is now positioned for renewed growth..“I understand [Albertans’] frustration,” Wilson stated.“I did not like what [Trudeau] was doing to our country. But here we are. We're at a point where we're working collaboratively, and I think the way our leadership is poised in Alberta, pipelines, data centres, and all sorts of other major projects are moving forward. Investment is returning to Alberta.”While Wilson acknowledged Canada was far from perfect and there were issues with Confederation, he said that leaving would only make Alberta’s challenges more difficult.“Walking away from this country doesn't solve Alberta's problems, and it only amplifies the challenges facing the country,” he said.“To me, it's time to put the resentment and anger of the last ten years behind us, and let's start building again.”.Wilson has previously discussed Alberta's upcoming October provincial referendum, telling Ryan Jespersen in March that he would “absolutely” be voting to stay.“I happen to be a fan of the noise of Alberta separation, but I’m not there,” he said at the time.“People acknowledge we’re not going to physically separate, we’re going to separate with paperwork and the paperwork we want is effectively the same as what a country called Quebec has.”Wilson also said he would like to see the Prairie provinces work more collaboratively with British Columbia, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, similar to the way Atlantic Canada works together, and “stop letting Ontario and Quebec dictate our outcomes.”Vote to Stay founder Monte Solberg called Wilson’s endorsement another sign that Albertans want to move beyond division and focus on “building a stronger future” and economic opportunity.“Brett Wilson has spent decades building businesses, creating opportunities, and giving back to his community,” Solberg said.“He understands the confidence, ambition, and entrepreneurial spirit that make Alberta such an incredible place. We’re proud to have his voice and his support behind Vote to Stay.”.Wilson is the latest high-profile figure to endorse the Vote to Stay movement. Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney has also been a prominent supporter of the campaign.Earlier this month, another former premier, Ed Stelmach, endorsed the campaign on Canada Day.“Albertans have never faced challenges by walking away. We’ve always met them by rolling up our sleeves, working together, and building something better,” Stelmach said.However, not everyone welcomed Wilson’s endorsement. Some social media users criticized his comments, with one commentator on X asking, “How do we put the anger behind us without apologies on C-19 and massive changes in the direction of the country? Are we supposed to just forgive and forget and let Ottawa continue leading us down the garden path?”.Independence advocate Derek Smith, better known online as "Unacceptable Fringe," also commented on Wilson's position, saying Albertans should instead “build an Alberta Republic that is far greater than the Canadian government ever could be.”“Alberta can do better,” he said.
