Premier Danielle Smith's office says she knew nothing about a meeting between U.S. Republican strategists and one of her own party's local presidents.
That president is Mitch Sylvestre. He runs the Bonnyville-Cold Lake UCP constituency association. He also leads the Alberta Prosperity Project, the province's most prominent separatist group.
Smith "is not affiliated with these individuals' activities and has no knowledge of these alleged meetings," her spokesperson, Sam Blackett, said Monday.
"She also opposes separation or becoming a U.S. state."
Blackett didn't answer The Canadian Press's questions about whether Smith will take any action over Sylvestre's role.
Albertans vote on Question 10 in two weeks.
The Calgary meeting
On the weekend, the Globe and Mail reported that Sylvestre was among a group that met U.S. Republican strategists in Calgary in January, to look at software built to identify and mobilize supporters.
Sylvestre doesn't deny being there. But he told the Globe he was uncomfortable with what was being pitched, and refused to hand over the Alberta Prosperity Project's membership list, citing legal and privacy concerns.
The water and oil claims are now disputed
The Globe also reported that separatist leaders discussed giving the U.S. access to Alberta water and oil royalties in exchange for help with independence, in meetings with State Department officials in Washington last year. Our coverage of the Globe's report is here.
On Monday, both Sylvestre and fellow separatist leader Jeff Rath denied it.
Sylvestre said he went to just one of the three Washington meetings, in September, and that water and oil weren't discussed.
"We have no authority to do any of that," he told The Canadian Press. "We're not in government. We can't go down there and have that conversation."
Rath, who attended all three, was blunter.
"The story is completely false," he said. "The whole water thing is inflammatory and the suggestion of a U.S. royalty on Alberta oil is just ludicrous."
The two sides' accounts still conflict.
'A question-to-ask-a-question phase'
Asked if he'd support trading Alberta resources for U.S. help, Sylvestre said he'd never thought about it, and believes there's enough support inside Alberta to make it unnecessary.
He said he skipped the other Washington meetings because he didn't see the point, given how far Alberta is from leaving Canada.
"We're in a question-to-ask-a-question phase," he said.
What Albertans are voting on
That's close to how the ballot works.
There are 10 questions in the Oct. 19 referendum. Question 10 asks:
"Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?"
Option 1: Alberta remains a province of Canada.
Option 2: Alberta starts the constitutional process toward a future binding referendum on separation.
Elections Alberta says the result of Question 10 itself is not binding. An Option 2 win wouldn't make Alberta independent. It would start a process toward another vote.
Even though it's numbered 10, it will be the first ballot voters get, and the first one counted at each voting location.
A party official, and a separatist leader
Constituency association presidents run a party's local organization in each riding. They aren't MLAs or cabinet ministers, and don't set government policy.
But Sylvestre is also the man who led the petition drive that gathered enough signatures to force a province-wide vote on separation. A judge quashed that petition earlier this year.
Smith's office didn't dispute his UCP role. It said she had nothing to do with what he did.
Sylvestre said he hasn't faced any pressure from Smith or her office.
"And it wouldn't matter. I'm a UCP member, same as her," he said.
The second time in a week
Last week, UCP MLA Jason Stephan, who represents Red Deer-South, said he voted for Option 2 on his special ballot.
Smith says she's voting Option 1, to stay in Canada. She declined to act against Stephan, saying the UCP is a big-tent party that tolerates different views.
'Selling Alberta out'
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, a critic of the separatist movement, said in a video: "They say [separation] is about taking back control, then go begging to Washington for support. That's not taking back Alberta. That's selling Alberta out."
Conservative MP Dane Lloyd, who's leading his party's campaign to keep Alberta in Canada, said: "Absolutely nobody has a right to promise away Alberta's birthright, which is our natural resources." He wouldn't say whether he thinks it's foreign interference.
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree referred questions to CSIS, saying democratic events are expected "to be governed under democratic principles."
Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said Smith is "focused on keeping her party together, cheating to win and keeping the separatists happy."
None of the reporting so far shows any law was broken.
Smith has said separation is a burning issue that has to be addressed. At a recent referendum forum, she choked back tears as she asked: "Does this country actually want us?" Read that story here.
Two weeks to the vote
Elections Alberta is projecting record turnout. It received about 658,000 special ballot applications. Our coverage of that is here.
Polls suggest a large majority will vote to stay in Canada.
Advance voting runs Oct. 13 to 17. Voting day is Monday, Oct. 19.
Sources
Referendum, Elections Alberta
Statements from Sam Blackett, Mitch Sylvestre, Jeff Rath, Dane Lloyd, Gary Anandasangaree, Jeromy Farkas and Naheed Nenshi as reported by The Canadian Press. Original meeting details as reported by The Globe and Mail.
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