The independence movement is one of the top issues to many Albertans, with the fiscal viability of the concept driving debate both inside and outside of the province.

Few are better positioned to weigh in on Alberta's finances than Nadine Wellwood, who specializes as a chartered investment manager outside of her forays into politics.

Nadine joined this week's episode of The Gunn Show to discuss the province's economics and her new book, Alberta Rising.

“Being in finance, you're always in economics,” Nadine told Sheila about her life before becoming active in politics. “I never really felt like I had a place that I belonged,” she explained, prior to running as a candidate for the People's Party of Canada in multiple elections.

“I don't get caught up with people, I get caught up with ideas,” Nadine said, noting Maxime Bernier's policies resonated with her.

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Shifting back to Alberta's push for autonomy, Nadine said “the economics around independence — whether it's pension plans, police force — all the economics makes a hundred per cent sense for Albertans to leave Canada and to go it on their own.”

In her view, “there is absolutely zero risk to us to leave Canada.” In fact, she says “there's far more risk in staying in Canada.”

Nadine told Sheila she's even spoken to unions and Liberal and NDP leaning individuals who, by the end of the discussion, would tell her there's “nothing I can disagree with here.”

From an Albertan perspective, independence “makes sense,” given the province sends “$3 to $5 billion more each and every year to the (Canada Pension Plan) than we receive back to our own retirees.”

The CPP is akin to a “payroll tax,” she said — or worse, “like a Ponzi scheme.”