Colin MacLeod is the author of the provocative book “The Case for Alberta’s Independence,” and the force behind @cnm5000 on X.Alberta is flirting with the Americans again. A few bold souls are down in DC, on their own dime, asking about diplomatic recognition and — bless their pragmatic hearts — a line of credit. Predictably, the “Forever Canada, Elbows Up” crowd has dropped their avocado toast in horror, screaming "Treason!" with the kind of theatrics usually reserved for a Truckers convoy or a minor dip in Toronto real estate prices. It’s truly hilarious. If we actually crack open the Criminal Code, Section 46 defines high treason as killing the Sovereign or waging war against Canada. Unless these Alberta delegates are planning to duel the King with a hockey stick or invade the House of Commons with their banned shotguns (that they inherited from Grandpa), the "traitor" label is a bit of a stretch. Standard treason requires "force or violence" to overthrow the government. Apparently, in the hallucination that is federal politics, asking a US official for a loan is basically the same thing as storming the Bastille. With guillotines. .Calling this sedition isn’t just a reach; it’s a masterclass in gaslighting. Securing a line of credit isn’t an act of war — it’s sovereign adulting. It’s "foresight" for anyone who has noticed the federal government treats Alberta like a golden goose they’re simultaneously trying to starve and stuff. If your landlord is burning your furniture to keep the neighbours warm, looking for a new apartment isn't a crime; it’s common sense. The hypocrisy is where the real comedy lives. We are lectured on "unity" by Canadians who pay the Bloc Québécois's salaries: a party whose entire job description is dismantling the country while collecting a federal pension. It’s a "vibrant democracy" when the Quebec independence movement holds the balance of power, but it’s "sedition" when an Albertan buys a plane ticket to Washington. To add a chef’s kiss to this farce, CSIS has been whispering about "willfully compromised" MPs who are effectively working for foreign interests, yet Ottawa refuses to name or investigate them. .So, let’s get the hierarchy straight: being a literal foreign asset in the House of Commons is a "confidential personnel matter," and being a Bloc MP is "cultural expression," but an Albertan asking for a bridge loan is a threat to the Crown. The pearl-clutching isn't about the law; it’s about the terrifying realization that the ATM might finally stop dispensing. If talking to a neighbour about a backup plan is treason, then the Canadian "marriage" is already on the rocks. Maybe if Team Canada spent as much time fixing the relationship as they do looking for "traitors" in cowboy hats, Alberta wouldn't feel the need to check its credit score in DC.Colin MacLeod is the author of the provocative book “The Case for Alberta’s Independence,” and the force behind @cnm5000 on X.
