Canada must treat Alberta better, says Jordan Peterson
“Enough overt and covert attempts to destroy the basis of the economy of my fair and hard-working province [Alberta],” writes Jordan Peterson in a column for the National Post.
A recent column by Jordan Peterson says Alberta deserves better from Laurentian Canada, whose morally obtuse “green agenda” will bring about our demise.
In it he sympathizes with Alberta, a free-market province who contests the “disdainful socialist green agenda” of Laurentian Canada, particularly Québec.
Three out of 10 Albertans say they feel the rest of Canada respects them, according to recent polling.
WATCH: Premier Danielle Smith announces The Alberta Sovereignty Act: "nothing in this bill involves separation" adding that "Alberta and Canada are worth fighting for" https://t.co/0v37Ge9BuW for the latest. pic.twitter.com/g7xLFS5Z3x
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) November 29, 2022
The Angus Reid survey comes after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on Canada, with most provinces considering retaliatory actions, including the suspension of energy exports if he follows through on February 1st.
While Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she doesn’t want oil and gas exports to be part of the tariff response, her Ontario counterpart urged westerners to put Canada before provincial interests.
“Alberta is being called upon to sacrifice its artificially and ‘morally’ limited economy to fight off the looming tariffs of Donald J. Trump,” Peterson writes, “the imposition of which should come as no surprise to anyone the least bit awake.”
“None of it bodes well for the economy of Canada,” Peterson said, noting the destruction of Alberta’s fossil fuel industry “would doom Canadians to starve and freeze in the dark.”
Trudeau is asked about refusing meet with premiers over carbon tax concerns and whether this hurts federalism. The PM accuses premiers of "misinforming Canadians" and wanting to remove rebates that make "a huge difference in peoples' lives."https://t.co/dh39RL8IFZ pic.twitter.com/oK79K8YHmn
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 8, 2024
A recent Angus Reid survey asked Canadians whether they felt their province was respected in the country. A majority of Albertans (71%) feel disrespected by the rest of Canada.
Only 30% of Albertans say the federal government treats them fairly. While another 81% agreed they contributed more than they received.
“Enough pathetic celebrity-wannabe pandering to the international elites of Davos — and, for good measure, the utterly degenerate UN,” he continues, taking repeated jabs at Mark Carney, a Liberal leadership hopeful who has planned in writing the destruction of Alberta’s economy.
“Enough overt and covert attempts to destroy the basis of the economy of my fair and hard-working province.”
Mark Carney tells a WEF panel that he wants to see carbon offset taxes implemented now as the United Nations attempts to enforce a net-zero energy transition by 2050 through its Sustainable Development Goals. pic.twitter.com/3VTxvzNhUa
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 15, 2025
Peterson also condemned Québec’s continued financial dependence on Alberta, a province whose staple industry is diametrically opposed to their values.
A recent Fraser Institute study calculated the province’s net contribution to federal coffers at $244.6 billion between 2007 and 2022. Québec received $327.7 billion more than it contributed to the rest of the Federation, during that period.
“This is the same eastern Canada and Quebec,” Peterson said, “that regards itself as entitled not only to the so-called transfer payments characterizing the Canadian social contract — much to the disadvantage of the resource-rich West — but that simultaneously assumes and trumpets a moral superiority to the people who earn that transferred money.”
The current equalization formula also earmarks $26.2 billion for “have-not” provinces next fiscal year, with Québec set to receive $13.6 billion, the lion’s share. Equalization has cost Alberta $67 billion since 1957.
Alberta punches above its weight class, and equalization encourages “dysfunctional policies that stifle growth in other provinces,” Smith said in a social media post.
Frustration swept through parts of Canada upon the discovery that Quebec will once again scoop up the lion's share of equalization funds—$13.6 billion out of $26.2 billion—while the Western provinces are left out in the cold.https://t.co/jVGdh3WaZm
— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) January 9, 2025
Peterson notes Canada is susceptible to a “falsely green and socialist demise” should it not make a business case to the rest of the world. “Enough delaying critical infrastructure development and rejection of international trade offers for natural gas, oil and coal.”
Premier Smith posted online her approach to achieving economic growth, which includes “nation-building” projects like the cancelled Energy East and the Northern Gateway pipelines.
She also supports truncating anti-energy policies, including the production cap, Clean Electricity Regulations and the Impact Assessment Act.
“And all of this would not only be good for Alberta — and, by extension, for the working people of Canada — it is also absolutely necessary for Canada, even, perhaps to survive, both economically and politically,” writes Peterson.
“Enough idiot green moralizing. Enough carbon tax. Enough bloody net zero.”

Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

COMMENTS
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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-01-29 21:53:41 -0500The Liberal party’s attitude towards western Canada, particularly Alberta, was made abundantly clear during the 1980 election. Senator Keith Davey told Pierre Trudeau, “Screw the west, we’ll take the rest.” That’s indeed what happened….. on both counts.
I knew this country was finished when the CBC’s TV coverage of the election results started in B. C. The host came on with a smirk on his face, telling viewers, “Good evening, British Columbia. The election’s over and the Liberals won.” My vote, and those of many other westerners, didn’t matter. -
Bruce Atchison commented 2025-01-29 19:47:49 -0500Alberta must keep threatening to separate. It worked in Quebec’s favour so it will work in ours too. But we have a legitimate grievance for separation. Confederation has always been a con for us in the west.