Canada’s Carney travels to Alberta as separatists face legal setback

Trip comes as court rules separatists did not follow proper procedure in collecting referendum signatures.Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is visiting Alberta, days after a separatist movement in the western province faced a major legal setback in its push for a referendum on the issue.Carney’s visit on Friday was officially to unveil a new agreement laying the groundwork for a crude oil pipeline alongside the province’s premier, Danielle Smith.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Canada’s Carney rolls back climate rules to boost investmentslist 2 of 3Canada’s Carney hails new trade deals, ‘expects’ US to respect sovereigntylist 3 of 3Are Trump officials driving Alberta’s separatist movement in Canada?end of listHowever, the simmering secessionist movement was set to loom large over the trip.Carney and his Liberal party have pushed for a united Canadian front as he grapples with US tariffs and tensions with US President Donald Trump.Leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project, one of the groups spearheading the separatist movement, have sought to capitalise on regional discontent with consecutive Liberal party leadership, arguing that Ottawa has over-regulated the province’s lucrative oil and gas industry.Earlier this year, members of the group met with members of the US Department of State. After which, they held positive meetings during which they discussed the logistics of a possible secession.On Wednesday, supporters faced a major setback, with a provincial court ruling in favour of a First Nations bid to halt a referendum on secession.Justice Shaina Leonard ruled ‌that the province’s chief electoral officer was wrong to allow separatists to collect signatures requesting a referendum. Leonard maintained that the process should have triggered a consultation with Indigenous peoples whose rights might be violated by Alberta’s secession from Canada.