PNN – A meeting between officials from Donald Trump’s administration and representatives of a far-right separatist group from the oil-rich province of Alberta, Canada, has sparked a wave of anger and criticism in the country.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, citing the website of the trans-regional newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, David Abe, the current Premier of the province of British Columbia, described these meetings as “treasonous” and said that asking a foreign country for support to dismember Canada is a treacherous act.
The White House did not deny the principle of holding these meetings, but emphasized that no support or commitment has been provided in this regard.
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According to the Financial Times, US officials have met three times since April with the Alberta Prosperity Project, a group that is trying to negotiate a $500 billion credit facility if the independence referendum is successful.
Some Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Besant, have expressed sympathy for Alberta, calling it a “natural partner” for the United States.
These developments come as Trump has sharpened his tone against Canada in recent months, imposed tariffs on the country, and even repeatedly talked about the possibility of Canada’s accession as the “51st state of the United States.”
However, the results of a recent poll show that only about 30 percent of residents of Alberta and Quebec support the idea of independence, and this level of support is decreasing when the consequences of separation are considered.