Separation Anxiety: The Alberta Referendum

Danielle Paradis and Tim Querengesser
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There's a referendum in Alberta this fall, and independence is on the ballot - sort of. Who are the separatists? What do they actually want? And what happens to the rest of Canada if they get it? Separation Anxiety is a five‑part investigative series from award‑winning Alberta journalists Danielle Paradis and Tim Querengesser that aims to find out. Join them as they follow organizers into church boardrooms and hot‑dog picnics to examine the influences, ideas and grievances fuelling Alberta’s modern separatist movement. From its century-old roots to the anti-lockdown protests, trucker convoy and political upheaval that brought Danielle Smith to power, Separation Anxiety also traces the movement’s evolution — and why it is now tied to accusations of criminal treason and treaty‑rights violations.  Produced with the support of Canadian True Crime, Separation Anxiety launches September 22 and will be released weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 1

  1. Episode 1

    Among the Separatists

    Oh my lanta do we have an episode for you! On Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on whether to hold a binding referendum on leaving Canada. Journalists Tim Querengesser and Danielle Paradis spend the summer with the people who want out of Canada: on a freeway overpass in Edmonton, at an Alberta Day celebration in Mirror, AB and in a Baptist church in Calgary. They ask what's driving the separatist movement, and what role Christian nationalism plays in it. Credits: Produced by Danielle Paradis, Tim Querengesser and Kristi Lee.Journalistic and production help by Amanda Erickson.Studio recording and sound production by Omar Mouallem and Zach Dafoe with HAQ Story Studios.Produced with the support of Canadian True Crime.New episodes weekly. Follow or subscribe so you don't miss one. Feedback: SeperationAnxietyPodcast@protonmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Among the Separatists

  2. Episode 2

    Maple-Dipped Maga

    Separatists talk about a trillion-dollar surplus and an Independent Alberta with no income tax. So, where are the numbers to prove Albertans would be better off? Dani and Tim start with an Edmonton town hall where separatist organizer Kathy Flett ran into a hostile crowd. From there they check the math behind the movement's biggest promises. Author Tyler Dawson traces Alberta's grievances back to before it was a province and explains why the National Energy Program still hurts 40 years later. Political scientist Jared Wesley says today's separatism has more in common with MAGA and Brexit, than with Western alienation. Finally, Professor Lisa Young explains why she calls Premier Danielle Smith "Schrödinger's premier." In this episode Tyler Dawson, Author of The Republic of Alberta: An Idea That Won't Go Away and opinion editor at The Globe and Mail.Jared Wesley, political scientist at the University of Alberta and the Common Ground project.Lisa Young, political scientist at the University of Calgary and author of an Alberta politics newsletter, Mentioned in this episode The Republic of Alberta: An Idea That Won't Go Away by Tyler DawsonReport: The Economic and Fiscal Implications of Alberta Separation, University of Calgary (September 2026)DisinfoWatch report on U.S. involvement in the Alberta independence movement (May 2026)Common Ground: commongroundpolitics.ca Credits Separation Anxiety is produced by Danielle Paradis and Tim Querengesser. With production assistance from Kristi Lee. Journalistic and production help by Amanda Erickson. Studio recording and sound production by Omar Mouallem and Zach Dafoe with HAQ Story Studios. Produced with the support of Canadian True Crime. New episodes weekly. Follow us on Substack: separationanxietypodcast.substack.com Feedback: SeparationAnxietyPodcast@protonmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Maple-Dipped Maga

  3. Episode 3

    The Indigenous Case for Canada

    As Alberta heads toward a referendum focused on separation, First Nations people are asking a question most Albertans haven't: What happens to the treaties? In this episode, Danielle goes to Indigenous Rock the Vote in Maskwacis, and Tim and Danielle sit down with separatist leaders, who say an independent Alberta would offer Indigenous nations "a better path." Tim and Danielle then bring two treaty experts into the studio to explain why, for them, leaving is never an option. In this episode Maskwacis Indigenous Rock the Vote Separatist leaders explain what an independent Alberta would mean for treaty rights. Rob Houle and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse respond to what we heard and explain why treaty has "no exit clause." Guests and voices Rob Houle, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse Credits Hosted by Danielle Paradis and Tim Querengesser. Produced with support from Canadian True Crime. Programming note: Episode 4 will be released a few days late so we can get some interesting people on the record. Next time we speak with moderate conservatives who are angry with Canada, but not angry enough to separate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Indigenous Case for Canada

  4. Season 1 Trailer

    Separation Anxiety: The Alberta Referendum

    Alberta journalists Danielle Paradis and Tim Querengesser explore the upcoming Alberta separatist referendum. Photo: Amanda Erickson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Separation Anxiety: The Alberta Referendum
  • 1 Trailer
    3 Episodes

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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About

There's a referendum in Alberta this fall, and independence is on the ballot - sort of. Who are the separatists? What do they actually want? And what happens to the rest of Canada if they get it? Separation Anxiety is a five‑part investigative series from award‑winning Alberta journalists Danielle Paradis and Tim Querengesser that aims to find out. Join them as they follow organizers into church boardrooms and hot‑dog picnics to examine the influences, ideas and grievances fuelling Alberta’s modern separatist movement. From its century-old roots to the anti-lockdown protests, trucker convoy and political upheaval that brought Danielle Smith to power, Separation Anxiety also traces the movement’s evolution — and why it is now tied to accusations of criminal treason and treaty‑rights violations.  Produced with the support of Canadian True Crime, Separation Anxiety launches September 22 and will be released weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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