EDMONTON — Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney is taking up the Canadian cause as he’s set to participate in two debates about separatism against a lawyer pushing for the province to go its own way.

The first debate will take place in Edmonton in May at a member’s only conference put on by Civitas Canada, a conservative non-profit organization.

An agenda for the conference says both sides of the debate want economic fairness for Alberta and it’ll be up to Kenney and lawyer Keith Wilson to argue whether staying or leaving would let Albertans “fulfil their destiny.”

The second event will take place in Calgary later that month.

An ongoing petition campaign looking to force a vote on Alberta separation has until May 2 to gather nearly 178,000 signatures.

Premier Danielle Smith has said that should the campaign be successful the question will be put to Albertans this fall.

Wilson says he think it’s important for voters to hear both sides of the issue before casting their ballots.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press