by Talking to Albertans
"Today at Terwillegar Park in Edmonton, I had a conversation that surprised me.
A 19-year-old Albertan stopped to talk with me about Alberta independence, freedom, politics, and the future of Canada. What followed was a thoughtful 20+ minute conversation while we walked through the park exploring these ideas together.
Young people are often described as disengaged from politics, but that wasn’t the case here.
She asked serious questions, listened carefully, challenged some of my assumptions, and openly admitted she is still forming her views. That kind of intellectual humility is rare — and it made this conversation genuinely interesting.
This video isn’t about debating or trying to “win” an argument.
It’s about exploring ideas together.
One of the goals of this channel is to talk with ordinary Albertans about the issues shaping our province — not politicians or pundits, just regular people.
Sometimes those conversations happen with older Albertans who have decades of political experience. Other times they happen with younger people who are still exploring these ideas and asking important questions. Both perspectives matter.
In this conversation we talk about:
- Why some Albertans support independence
• What freedom actually means in Canada
• Whether young people are paying attention to politics
• The importance of listening to people you disagree with
At one point she asked why I personally support Alberta independence.
For me, the answer ultimately comes down to freedom and self-determination. Even if independence carried economic risk — which I personally do not believe it would — I would still support the principle that people should have the right to govern themselves and decide their own political future.
We also touched on the structure of rights in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The opening clause states:
“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”
Because governments and courts determine what limits are considered “reasonable,” some Canadians question how secure those rights truly are.
Another issue discussed was Canada’s equalization system. Equalization redistributes federal tax revenue between provinces. Alberta has historically been one of the largest net contributors, while provinces such as Quebec have received significant transfers.
Many independence supporters argue that provinces receiving large transfers still influence national policies that strongly affect Alberta’s economy, particularly in the energy sector.
We also briefly discussed firearms policy in Canada. Under Canadian law, firearm ownership is generally limited to hunting or sport shooting, and self-defense is rarely recognized as a legal justification. Recent federal bans and confiscation proposals affecting previously legal firearms have raised concerns among some Canadians about property rights and government authority.
What made this conversation meaningful wasn’t that we agreed on everything.
It was that we were willing to talk.
Democracy depends on citizens being able to ask difficult questions, challenge ideas respectfully, and listen to perspectives outside their own bubble.
Seeing a young Albertan thoughtfully explore these questions is a reminder that the future of Alberta will ultimately be shaped by the next generation.
And they are paying attention.
"