The Alberta Prosperity Project has released a 54-page discussion paper titled "Foundation of Freedom" that outlines a framework for an independent Alberta.. The proposal suggests a complete overhaul of the province's governance, moving away from the Canadian parliamentary model toward a presidential system.
From Calgary's Executive to Grande Prairie's Supreme Court
The Alberta Prosperity Project envisions a decentralized government where power is distributed across several major hubs to avoid the concentration of authority in a single city. According to the report, the legislative assembly would be based in Edmonton, while the executive branch would operate out of Calgary. The proposed senate would be located in Red Deer, and the oversight branch would be split between Medicine Hat and Lloydminster.
Perhaps the most striking geographic shift is the proposal to establish the Supreme Court in Grande Prairie. By spreading these institutions across the province, the Alberta Prosperity Project aims to create a governance structure that reflects the diverse geography of the region rather than centering everything in the capital. This spatial distribution of power is a core tenet of the "Foundation of Freedom" document, which seeks to redefine the relationship between the citizen and the state.
The 10 Per Cent Tax Cap and Open-Carry Mandates
Economic and social liberties form the bedrock of the Alberta Prosperity Project's vision. The discussion paper proposes a maximum 10 per cent income tax and a similar cap on consumption taxes, representing a significant departure from current Canadian fiscal policy. additionally, the plan advocates for the open carry of firearms and the designation of English as the official language of the new state.
These proposals align the Alberta Prosperity Project with a broader ,libertarian-leaning trend seen in Western Canadian separatist movements, which often view federal regulations as an infringement on individual rights. By proposing free passports for citizens and a slashed tax regime, the group is attempting to frame independence not just as a political break from Ottawa, but as a total economic and social liberation.
A U.S.-Style Elected Senate and Presidential System
The proposed government structure described in the "Foundation of Freedom" paper mirrors the American model more closely than the British Westminster system.. As the source reported,the new state would be led by a president and vice-president, supported by ministers and a U.S.-style elected senate. This move would effectively end the monarchy's role in Alberta's governance.
Furthermore, the Alberta Prosperity Project suggests that judges should be elected rather than appointed, creating a three-level court system. This shift toward an elective judiciary is a radical departure from the Canadian legal tradition and suggests a desire to make the legal system more directly accountable to the electorate, though it remains to be seen how such a system would maintain judicial independence .
Why Keith Wilson and Cory Morgan Diverge on the Blueprint
Despite the detailed nature of the 54-page paper, the separatist movement is not a monolith. Cory Morgan, the founder of Pathway to Independence, described the proposal as "fairly solid" from the perspective of establishing a republic. However, Keith Wilson, a co-leader of Let Alberta Decide, expressed that he did not support the proposal , highlighting a rift in how different separatist factions view the timing and content of such a blueprint.
Even Mitch Sylvestre, the CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project, has acknowledged that the document may not be perfect, framing it as a starting point for public debate rather than a finished constitution. this internal friction leaves several critical questions unanswered: specifically, how the new state would handle trade agreements with the remaining Canadian provinces , what the transition period for the currency would look like, and whether there is actual broad-based public support for a presidential system over a parliamentary one.
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