Parti Québécois leader says he'll recognize Alberta independence as premier

OTTAWA — Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon told leaders of Alberta’s pro-independence movement that he’ll recognize a free and independent Alberta if he becomes Quebec’s Premier, the National Post has learned.

Plamondon’s office confirms that he met with three leaders of the pro-independence Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) — Mitch Sylvestre,  Dennis Modry and Jeffrey Rath — in Calgary on Thursday evening and affirmed his support for an independent Alberta.

He also indicated that his government will back Alberta in separation negotiations with Ottawa, if a provincial referendum on independence succeeds.

Plamondon was in Calgary to kick off a two-day visit to Alberta.

Rath said he was “pleasantly surprised” by how like-minded Plamondon was on the subject of federal bloat and overreach.

“He seems to have come to the exact same conclusions that we have about provincial fiscal capacity being absorbed and wasted through the grossly bloated federal bureaucracy in Ottawa,” said Rath.

Plamondon has vowed to redirect billions in “wasteful” federal spending to Quebec’s coffers as premier.

Rath said that the audience with the PQ leader underscores the APP’s “significant leadership role” in the Alberta independence movement.

He added that Quebec’s backing could be a game changer in post-referendum negotiations with Ottawa.

“If you put Alberta and Quebec together, that’s more than a third of Canada’s population getting the ball rolling from the start,” said Rath.

Rath said he wasn’t worried about ideological or cultural differences derailing his group’s budding alliance with the social democratic PQ.

“What really struck me from that meeting yesterday is that there’s far more that unites us than divides us. And the big thing that we really have in common is being fed up with our (provincial) economies being raided by folks in Ottawa who are only interested in taking as much money as they can,” said Rath.

He added he’d gladly return the favour when the time comes and recognize an independent Quebec.

“(Quebec’s) entitled to whatever form of democracy they want to have,” said Rath.

Plamondon said earlier on Thursday, at a talk at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, that Alberta’s future in Canada is “up to Albertans.”

He also praised Alberta Premier Danielle Smith for “play(ing) her cards very well” in representing Alberta’s interests on the national stage.

The PQ is well ahead in the polls , with a provincial election expected for next fall. Plamondon has promised to hold a referendum on Quebec’s independence in his first term as premier.

National Post rmohamed@postmedia.com

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