Keller raised the tired spectre of Alberta being consumed by the hungry, expansionist USA looming on the South side of the border should the province become independent. The 51st state canard is a popular one used by federalists to try to scare Albertans from considering independence, but there is no merit to it.

Keller claims independence would turn Alberta into a “landlocked stranded asset” which would be forced to become the 51st state out of economic desperation and due to dependence on the USA as a primary market for its products.

Alberta already is a landlocked stranded asset due to Canadian actions blocking the province from reaching world markets with oil and gas products. Over 94 percent of Canada’s oil and gas exports go to the United States right now.

It has emasculated Alberta’s economic ability but hasn’t moved the province any closer to joining the United States. In a scenario where Alberta became independent, it would have more leverage in accessing coastal export points. The province would finally become less dependent on the USA as a sole customer.

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Aside from jibes from President Trump about Canada becoming the 51st state, there has been no realistic interest shown on the part of the USA in annexing Alberta or any other province for that matter.

Even if there was an American push to add Alberta to the list of states, the process to do so makes it nearly impossible. The American constitution requires an act of Congress (majorities in both the House and Senate) to admit a new state. Adding a new state would disrupt the power share in the American government for one party or another meaning they would likely never manage to garner enough unified support to make such a move.

Further, there has been no appetite shown by Albertans to join the USA. The independence movement wants Alberta to become an independent state. Albertans don’t want to become a smaller fish in an even bigger pond. The Alberta Republican Party could barely garner 1 percent support in a couple of by-elections and much of that reason was because voters weren’t interested in a mandate to join the USA.

There is no evidence that a move is afoot to have the Americans take an Alberta shaped bite out of the Canadian map.

And let’s not pretend it has been the Canadian Armed Forces which have prevented such an event from happening.