Friday January 30, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 12:15 pm PT]
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC Premier David Eby has effectively hauled Alberta onto the carpet around the issue of Canada’s premiers being unified on protecting the economy and sovereignty of Canada.
Yesterday in Ottawa, he previewed his concerns by delivering remarks to media (ahead of his participation in a First Ministers meeting with the prime minister and the other premiers) using the word ‘treason’.
He described that ‘T-word’ as being an old fashioned word “because it doesn’t get used much anymore”.
Eby was referring to how separatist factions in Alberta have been heading to the United States administration for significant financial support in their breakaway cause in the event that an Alberta referendum results in ‘yes’ to separation of that province from the rest of Canada.
Alberta’s response:
Sitting at the same table after the First Ministers meeting, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she would discuss the matter with her Alberta officials in Ottawa for discussion with their counterparts in Washington. But she defended what she sees as her need to “not demonize” what she estimates to be about one million Albertans who are indicating their interest in having Alberta separate from Canada.
‘We are not pleased’:
To say that Eby was not pleased at the Alberta premier’s response would be an understatement.
Eby has already had to bow to the constitutional reality that a ‘national project’ can essentially allow for a pipeline across BC from Alberta (a scenario activated by Prime Minister Carney and the Alberta premier in an MOU without Eby’s involvement), even though he warns that such a project could jeopardize over $50 billion in investment commitment decisions coming up this year on other resource-based projects in BC’s northern and coastal areas.
Calling out Alberta’s premier as to the separatist activity was arguably quite necessary with regard to protecting Canada’s sovereignty. It seems unfortunate in some ways that BC should have to sound that alarm, instead of that challenge coming from the prime minister.
Sidestepped by Carney:
When Prime Minister Mark Carney was asked by media on this issue yesterday, he turned the guns back on Trump, saying that Canada’s sovereignty should be respected (almost as if Carney’s impactful speech at the World Economic Forum – aka the Davos speech — should be enough).
In that way he avoided getting ‘in between’ the premiers of Alberta and BC. But in these intense times of national challenge, Canadians probably expected a more gutsy approach. Standing back from a fight — like a parent watching two kids on the carpet toughing it out in a squabble — is unduly hands-off in these critical times.
Carney was clearly trying to maintain the appearance of a united front among the premiers together with the Liberal federal government when it comes to standing up to pressures from the United States around this country’s economy and sovereignty. Be sometimes it pays to step into the fray.
Trump continues:
Trump is clearly not relenting. And Carney surely has no intention of backing down. But that should include every possible moment of opportunity to play tough in this escalating game of economic warfare that sees Canada now on a long-term path to trade diversification domestically and internationally.
Most Canadians are behind the prime minister and one-Canada message of resilience. In fact, it could be said that most Canadians — openly or otherwise — are hanging their hopes on this prime minister got elected in April 2025 with a strong mandate to ‘stand up to Trump[‘ but moreso to chart a new path for Canada. It’s a long-range path with many short-term steps and pitfalls — that’s the part that Carney may need to keep reminding Canadians about.
Expressions of separatism in Alberta and also Quebec are part of a natural process of civil discussion in a free democratic society. But that should not get in the way Canada as a united country of 13 provinces and territories from restructuring itself in all ways possible to deal with the brunt of international geo-political pressures.
However, this fight for Canada is a long one; best to pick one’s battles.
Reader comments:
This editorial is Copyright by Island Social Trends. Reader comments are welcome (and may be posted here).
===== RELATED:
- Carney & premiers present a united front on economy, trade & sovereignty (January 29, 2026)
- BC’s economic engine in Ottawa: Eby on pipeline, extortion, immigration (January 28, 2026)
- Canada’s premiers in Ottawa to discuss economy, projects & trade (January 28, 2026)
- Carney’s speech to economic elite makes global headlines (January 21, 2026)
- NEWS SECTIONS: POLITICS | CANADA-NATIONAL | CANADA-USA | EDITORIALS