Canada's economy contracted during Mark Carney's first year as prime minister, according to Statistics Canada real GDP data. As the chart shows, Carney is the only prime minister since Lester Pearson in 1963 to post negative first-year economic growth.

Pearson's first year delivered nearly 7% growth. Pierre Trudeau's first terms were around 4%, Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien also topped 4%, Paul Martin approached 3%, and even Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau recorded positive growth.

Yet despite those numbers, a recent Nanos poll found 60% of Canadians believe Carney is doing a good or very good job managing the economy.

That disconnect helps explain why so many Albertans feel they're living in a different country. While much of Eastern Canada appears satisfied with Ottawa's economic management, Alberta has spent years absorbing the impact of federal policies aimed at its largest industry.

Despite carbon taxes, the Impact Assessment Act, the proposed oil and gas emissions cap, tanker restrictions and years of regulatory uncertainty that helped kill projects like Northern Gateway and Energy East, Alberta continues to attract billions in investment, produce record amounts of oil, maintain Canada's highest GDP per capita and generate much of the wealth that supports the national economy.

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Imagine what Alberta could accomplish if Ottawa stopped getting in the way.

PREMIER SMITH: "This is one of the largest private sector investments in Canadian history."

Under her leadership, we're getting the job done for Albertans. pic.twitter.com/zwJU2qBw0W

— United Conservative Party of Alberta (@Alberta_UCP) July 9, 2026

For many Albertans, Confederation no longer looks like an economic advantage. It looks like a brake on the province's potential. If Alberta can remain Canada's economic engine while burdened by federal policies that discourage resource development, how much stronger could it be with full control over its own taxation, regulation, natural resources and trade?

BREAKING 🚨: Canada

Canada's economy shrank in Mark Carney's first year as prime minister—the worst economic start for any Canadian PM in over 60 years 🤯 👀 pic.twitter.com/N7Gko9VcWU

— Barchart (@Barchart) July 10, 2026

The Nanos poll suggests many Canadians don't see a problem. From Alberta, the problem is impossible to miss. Canada's economy is shrinking under Ottawa. Alberta is growing in spite of it.

That's why an increasing number of Albertans are asking a simple question: if we're already carrying the country, why should we remain shackled to policies that hold us back?