{"id":450692,"date":"2026-02-03T07:22:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T07:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/450692\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T07:22:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T07:22:10","slug":"harper-and-chretien-talk-alberta-separatism-canadian-sovereignty-in-ottawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/450692\/","title":{"rendered":"Harper and Chretien talk Alberta separatism, Canadian sovereignty in Ottawa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n\t\t\t\tBy Kyle Duggan<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Canadian Press\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tPosted February 2, 2026 6:59 pm\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t1 min read\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tDescrease article font size<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tIncrease article font size<\/p>\n<p>Former prime minister <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/stephen-harper\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stephen Harper<\/a> says he did not sign a petition seeking to force a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/70c8fc80.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Speaking at an event today in Ottawa, Harper said that in this moment of revived nationalism around the world, there is no reason why Canadians should not feel deep pride in their country.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767930311_275_national.jpg\" alt=\"For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tGet breaking National news<\/p>\n<p>For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.<\/p>\n<p>Harper was speaking alongside former prime minister Jean Chr\u00e9tien at a panel event on Arctic sovereignty at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in Ottawa.<\/p>\n<p>A leader of Alberta\u2019s separatist movement said recently some members of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith\u2019s United Conservative Party caucus have signed the petition pushing for a vote on separation.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\tTrending Now\n\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11645442\/2026-grammy-awards-red-carpet-photos\/\" class=\"c-posts__inner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-posts__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770103330_129_GettyImages-2259476106.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"336\" height=\"224\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t2026 Grammy Awards: The most eye-catching red carpet looks\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11649463\/alberta-stavely-minor-hockey-players-fatal-collision\/\" class=\"c-posts__inner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-posts__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770103330_193_Stavely-feature.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"336\" height=\"224\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t3 junior hockey players killed in collision south of Calgary\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Chr\u00e9tien told the audience there is a major shift in progress in geopolitics that likely spells the beginning of the end for the American empire, but Canada is in a good position despite that.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Harper is in the capital this week for the unveiling of his official portrait on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, and to mark two decades since the modern Conservative party was elected to government for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tMore on Politics<br \/>\n\t\t\tMore videos\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t&amp;copy 2026 The Canadian Press\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Kyle Duggan The Canadian Press Posted February 2, 2026 6:59 pm 1 min read Descrease article 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