Poilievre Rejects Alberta Secession, Urges Net Drop in Immigration

Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre on 14 July 2025 dismissed calls for Alberta or broader Western independence, declaring himself a “Canadian patriot.” Speaking at a press conference, he acknowledged what he called the region’s “legitimate” frustration with Ottawa, citing years of net fiscal contributions and federal policies that he says undermine Alberta’s energy sector and rural way of life. Poilievre instead urged Westerners to form alliances with other provinces to push for regulatory rollbacks and resource development. He pledged to repeal federal energy and firearms legislation, shrink the size of government and keep more provincial revenue in Alberta. Addressing national pressures on housing, health care and jobs, Poilievre also advocated “very hard caps” on immigration. He said Canada should temporarily allow “more people leaving than coming” in the next few years because, in his view, the country is too divided to integrate newcomers at the current pace.