“People are talking. People want sovereignty. They want what the U.S. has got.”

That was U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s description of growing independence sentiment in Alberta — comments that have energized the province’s long-running sovereignty movement.

'When Scott Bessent says — even somewhat tongue-in-cheek — that he’s heard rumors of an independence vote, that signals awareness at the highest levels.'

As Albertans continue lining up to sign petitions calling for a provincial referendum on separation later this year, separatist advocates say the Trump administration has shown a notable openness to discussing Alberta’s future.

Members of the Alberta Prosperity Project say they have met on several occasions with individuals connected to President Donald Trump’s inner circle and governing team.

Czar power

Bessent’s remarks came while he was criticizing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s appearance at last week’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. At the event, Carney suggested that the United States under Trump had become an international bully, destabilizing global trade norms and alliances.

Bessent rejected that characterization and instead focused on Carney’s political background.

“Well, I think Prime Minister Carney tried to put on a mask for a bit, and he’s really a globalist,” Bessent said. “He was governor of the Bank of Canada, then governor of the Bank of England, then he was the U.N. climate czar, and he tried to disappear that credential, seem like he was more reasonable — and when he said he wants to make Canada an energy powerhouse,” Bessent said, “Canada has great natural resources, but I don’t think he wants to bring them out.”

Chinese checkers

He further criticized Carney’s recent engagement with Beijing.

“He was just in China, and President Trump said Canada should trade with China,” Bessent said. “But when he came out and said China shares Canadian values — really?”

Turning to Alberta, Bessent highlighted the province’s resource wealth and frustrations over stalled infrastructure projects.

“Alberta is a wealth of natural resources, but they won’t let them build a pipeline to the Pacific,” he said. “I think we should let them come down into the U.S., and Alberta is a natural partner for the U.S. They have great resources.”

Bessent also noted Alberta’s distinct political culture, describing Albertans as “very independent people,” and said he had heard rumors of a possible referendum on whether the province should remain in Canada.

RELATED: Carney puts America last at Davos; Trump hits back

Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images

Going it alone?

Jeffrey Rath, legal counsel for the Alberta Prosperity Project, said Bessent’s remarks reflect conversations Alberta sovereignty advocates have been having privately with U.S. officials for months.

“That comes directly out of the meetings we’ve been holding in Washington, D.C.,” Rath told Align.

“We’ve raised the issue with them, and the Americans are very open to having a pipeline come down from Washington through Montana and Idaho ... to the West Coast to service Korea, Japan."

Rath said such infrastructure would strengthen U.S.-led trade alliances in the Pacific and reduce dependence on China.

He contrasted that approach with Carney’s recent visit to Beijing.

“That very alliance that Carney completely ignored when he skipped over all of them and went directly to communist China to declare, you know, Canada's alliance and allegiance to communist China," Rath said.

No accident

Rath also emphasized the influence of the U.S. treasury secretary within the American political system, speaking from his own perspective.

“Scott Bessent is literally the second-most powerful man in the world,” Rath said. “All it takes is one or two changes to U.S. Treasury policy towards Canadian debt, towards Canadian imports, towards Canadian investments and the taxation of Canadian businesses and assets in the United States, etc., and Canada would be bankrupt in three days."

According to Rath, Bessent’s reference to a possible Alberta referendum was not accidental.

“When Scott Bessent is saying — tongue-in-cheek — 'I've heard a rumor that there might be an independence referendum in Alberta this year,' you know, what Scott Bessent is tipping his hand to is that ... they are aware of what's going on in Alberta at the highest levels,” Rath said.

Rath pointed to visible public support for the independence petition drive.

“They are aware of people lined up for miles into cold January nights to sign the Alberta Declaration of Independence to get Alberta out of Canada,” he said. “They're aware of what a great partner Alberta will be to the United States of America because we’re philosophically aligned.”