I first pointed out the threat which Danielle Smith posed to Canada in a post in October, 2022, when I referenced the chapter “Unlikely Canada” in Peter Zeihan’s The Accidental Super Power, published in 2015. Zeihan adamantly predicted the break-up of Canada before 2030. He foresaw Alberta becoming the 51st US state, following its independence from Canada initiated by the Wildrose Party lead by Danielle Smith. In short, the threat she poses has been known and has grown for over 10 years and still no-one, with the possible exception of Michael Nabert on his Facebook page, seemed to be paying much attention . . . until this week.
Last Thursday, Smith was the featured guest at a fundraiser for PragerU in Florida. PragerU is a right-wing propaganda machine which produces short videos in opposition to environmentalism, social programs, government bureaucracy and taxes. PragerU videos are widely viewed online and are distributed to educational institutions in the USA. The best way to for you to understand PragerU is to visit the site yourself: https://www.prageru.com/ Search Canada on the PragerU website if you would like to see samples of what Danielle Smith helped raise a million dollars in support of.
Since her appearance with right-wing podcaster Ben Shapiro, who advocated Canada becoming a 51st state, Smith has become a PragerU celebrity. She was a guest for an hour-long interview with Marissa Streit, host and CEO of PragerU (see below).
Smith has justified her multiple trips to the USA (to Mara Largo, to the While House, and to Florida for PragerU) as diplomatic efforts against the Trump tariffs—to strengthen the USA-Canada relationship according to PragerU. What we have been witnessing is the beginning of a courtship as Smith coyly points out what a good match Alberta and the USA would be—and Marissa Streit concurs. As with any traditional courtship the message is in the subtext. The obvious question of Canada’s becoming a 51st state was never asked, presumably by prior agreement. Much of the interview dealt with the issue of transgenders, confirming that Smith’s attitudes were quite acceptable to PragerU Americans. But the important sound bites came with Smith describing Alberta as the “Texas of the north,” with lots of oil, gas, cattle and grain. Smith had the numbers ready and was more than happy to point out Alberta’s willingness to turn over its natural resources to the USA. To make the geography clear to her American audience, Smith carefully pointed out that Alberta shares its border with Montana. The unsaid: no problem transporting all those Alberta resources and, of course, Alberta has four times Montana’s population. What more do you need to become a 51st state? And a 51st state that can be counted on to vote Republican when the time comes.
When Smith was asked the “51st state” question during her “fireside chat” with Ben Shapiro, her answer was:
That would be like adding another California to your electoral system, and [you] would never have a Republican president in the White House again. So I would just caution you that it's probably best for us to just stay friends, and friends should never move in together.
Note that adding just Alberta wouldn’t be the same problem. Smith hinted that Saskatchewan might also like to come along for the ride.
Recent polling suggests that 18% of Albertans favour Canada becoming a 51st state. A Research Co poll carried out in December 2024 claims that 30% of Albertans believe the province would benefit from becoming part of the USA. In his uninvited visit to Greenland, Vice-president J.D. Vance spelled out a vote for Greenland’s independence would lead to US hegemony over the island. A referendum in favour of Alberta sovereignty, as Zeihan predicted in 2015, would eventually lead to statehood in the USA.
Preston Manning pulled back the covers on Western alienation, the Alberta sovereignty movement, and Smith’s subtext in a recent Globe and Mail editorial aimed at undermining a LIberal election. Poor Pierre Poilieve had to once again distance himself from the support of his Conservative colleagues. Manning got one thing right, the future of the nation is in play. We do have to worry about Danielle Smith.