Globe and Mail report links Alberta separatists to US Republicans and State Department officials
A Globe and Mail investigation reports that Michigan Republican operatives pitched voter-targeting software to Alberta separatists and that separatists met US State Department officials three times in 2025. A separatist co-founder says they offered resource access, which the group's lawyer denies, ahead of Alberta's 19 October referendum.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Globe and Mail published an investigation over the weekend of 3–4 October 2026 into contacts between Alberta separatists and US figures, weeks before Alberta's 19 October referendum. Raw StoryL “The Globe and Mail reported Saturday that GOP strategists from Michigan” Read at Raw Story ↗ NewsweekN “Over the weekend, Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail published an investigation” Read at Newsweek ↗ Left · 1According to the Globe, as relayed by Raw Story, Republican strategists from Michigan who were part of the operation that helped Trump carry the state in 2024 flew to Calgary in January for an invitation-only meeting with separatist leaders and pitched 10X Votes, voter-targeting software built for Republicans, as a way to swing the referendum. Raw StoryL “flew to Calgary in January for an invitation-only meeting with separatist leaders. They pitched 10X Votes, voter-targeting software built for Republicans” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1Raw Story reports that a separatist organizer has claimed people tied to US ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, a former Michigan Republican Party chair, advised the group; Hoekstra told the Globe he had "zero involvement with 10X Votes in Canada" and was unaware of the relationship. Raw StoryL “Hoekstra has said he was unaware of the relationship and told the Globe he had "zero involvement with 10X Votes in Canada."” Read at Raw Story ↗
Left · 1Raw Story adds that the organizer's group is now at the centre of a breach of Albertans' voter records. Raw StoryL “That organizer's group is now at the center of a breach of Albertans' voter records.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Centre · 1The Globe also reported that members of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) met US State Department officials at least three times last year, on 22 April, 29 September and 16 December, all organised by the group's lawyer Jeff Rath. NewsweekN “at least three times last year—April 22, September 29 and December 16—all organized by Rath, according to The Globe.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2APP co-founder Dennis Modry told the Globe the group gave officials a document outlining the benefits of Alberta sovereignty to the US, including oil royalties, fresh water, a Pacific pipeline, and land or right-of-way for a railway to Alaska, to help repay US support for the transition. NewsweekN “the potential benefits of Alberta sovereignty to the United States of America and to Alberta” Read at Newsweek ↗ Raw StoryL “offering the U.S. access to Alberta's fresh water, oil royalties, a Pacific pipeline and land for a railway to Alaska” Read at Raw Story ↗
Mixed · 2Rath denied Modry's account, calling Modry "delusional" and saying the talks were general discussions of Albertans' aspirations for independence, though Raw Story says he described a friendly reception from US officials. NewsweekN “a lawyer for the group, Jeff Rath, denied his characterization, calling Modry “delusional.”” Read at Newsweek ↗ Raw StoryL “Jeffrey Rath, who arranged the meetings, disputes that, saying the talks were general, but he described a friendly reception.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Centre · 1The Globe's report does not allege that any agreement was reached between separatists and US officials. NewsweekN “The Globe’s report does not allege that any agreement was reached between separatists and U.S. officials.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2US officials have played down the contacts: the State Department said such meetings are routine and no commitments were made, and the White House said officials meet civil society groups and that no support or commitments were conveyed. NewsweekN ““The department regularly meets with civil society types. As is typical in routine meetings such as these, no commitments were made.”” Read at Newsweek ↗ Raw StoryL “staff-level meetings with no senior officials involved and no commitments made” Read at Raw Story ↗
Centre · 1Reaction in Canada has been sharp: Conservative MP Dane Lloyd said "Nobody has the right to promise away Alberta's birthright"; NDP MP Heather McPherson sought an emergency Commons debate, which the speaker denied; Public Interest Alberta called for an inquiry into foreign interference; and Prime Minister Mark Carney's office repeated that it expects the US to respect Canadian sovereignty. NewsweekN “New Democratic Party MP Heather McPherson called for an emergency debate in the House of Commons, but it was denied by the speaker.”“Public Interest Alberta has called for a formal inquiry into whether foreign interference has taken place” Read at Newsweek ↗ Left · 1Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney criticised the involvement of "MAGA bootlickers" in Alberta politics, while Raw Story notes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in January that Alberta is "a natural partner" and that Trump has repeatedly pushed for Canada to become the 51st state. Raw StoryL “There's lots of ways to send a message about the need for reform in the federation, without turning these MAGA bootlickers into a major part of Alberta politics," Kenney said.”“calling Alberta "a natural partner."” Read at Raw Story ↗ Mixed · 2The referendum is not itself a vote on separation: it asks whether Alberta should remain in Canada or begin the legal process towards a binding referendum on separating, and Raw Story notes support for separation has never held above 30% in polling. NewsweekN “While it will not automatically trigger secession, it will ask Albertans whether to begin the process by holding a binding referendum.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Raw StoryL “Support for separation has never held above 30% in Alberta polling.” Read at Raw Story ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Raw Story leads with the Michigan Republican operatives angle, casting it as GOP operatives secretly working to break up Canada.
- Emphasis
- Ties to Trump's 2024 Michigan win, Hoekstra, administration enthusiasm (Bessent, 51st state) and Kenney's criticism.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name Modry or report Rath's "delusional" rebuttal, Canadian parliamentary reaction, or that the Globe alleges no agreement.
- Charged language
- “secretly working to break up Canada”“MAGA bootlickers”
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek frames it as separatists facing scrutiny over dealings with US officials, focusing on the resource-access allegations and Canadian political reaction.
- Emphasis
- Modry versus Rath dispute, MPs' reactions, calls for an inquiry, referendum context and the pipeline politics; notes no agreement alleged.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Michigan operatives, 10X Votes, Hoekstra or the voter-records breach.
- Charged language
- “delusional”
- For example
-
“Alberta separatists are facing fresh scrutiny over claims they offered the United States access to the oil-rich province’s natural resources in exchange for support for independence.” — Newsweek
“The Globe’s report does not allege that any agreement was reached between separatists and U.S. officials.” — Newsweek
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The Globe and Mail published the investigation over the weekend before Alberta's 19 October referendum.
- Alberta separatists met US State Department officials three times in 2025, arranged by Jeff Rath.
- Rath disputes the claim that resources were offered to the US, saying the talks were general.
- The State Department says the meetings were routine and no commitments were made.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether separatists offered the US access to Alberta's resources
- Left
- Reports the Globe's account that a co-founder said a document offered fresh water, oil royalties, a pipeline and rail land; notes Rath disputes it.
- Centre
- Reports Modry's account of the proposal and Rath's denial, calling Modry "delusional"; stresses the Globe alleges no agreement was reached.
-
Michigan Republican and Hoekstra links
- Left
- Leads with Michigan operatives pitching 10X Votes and a claim that people tied to Hoekstra advised separatists; Hoekstra denies involvement.
- Centre
- Does not mention the Michigan operatives or Hoekstra.
Alberta place
Alberta is holding a 19 October referendum on whether to begin the legal process towards a binding separation vote; separatist figures dispute each other over what was offered to the US, and Canadian politicians say sovereignty is at stake.
““Nobody has the right to promise away Alberta’s birthright,” Lloyd told reporters on Monday.” — Newsweek
Republican Party party
Raw Story links Republican operatives from Michigan to the separatist campaign; Hoekstra, a former Michigan party chair, denies involvement with 10X Votes in Canada.
“told the Globe he had "zero involvement with 10X Votes in Canada."” — Raw Story
The Globe and Mail organisation
The Globe and Mail's investigation is the source for both articles; it reports the meetings and Modry's account but does not allege any agreement was reached.
“Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail published an investigation alleging that some members of the separatist group” — Newsweek
Left1 article
-
GOP operatives behind Trump's Michigan win secretly working to break up Canada: report
Alarmist Presents the Globe's findings as a secret Republican effort to break up Canada, centred on Michigan operatives and Trump administration ties.
Centre1 article
-
Alberta Separatists Face Scrutiny Over Dealings With US Officials
Neutral Reports the allegations, the denials and Canadian political reaction in measured terms with referendum and pipeline background.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 19:26 First Raw StoryL GOP operatives behind Trump's Michigan win secretly working to break up Canada: report
- 6 Oct 16:17 +20h 50m NewsweekN Alberta Separatists Face Scrutiny Over Dealings With US Officials
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.