Separatist leaders affiliated with the Alberta Prosperity Project say the group’s two most prominent members – Jeffrey Rath and Mitch Sylvestre – were fired by the organization six weeks ago, but the news was kept quiet to avoid derailing the referendum campaign.
asserted
news → affiliate → campaign
In a Thursday night social-media post, Tanya Clemens said the APP’s board had decided in mid-September to remove Mr. Sylvestre and Mr. Rath from their roles with the group “for cause.”
asserted
board → say → cause
“I didn’t want an internal dispute to become the story when we were trying to have such an important conversation with Albertans about their future,” Ms. Clemens said, explaining why they didn’t publicize the news earlier.
asserted
they → want → news
Ms. Clemens said that there were concerns about who was given access to the APP’s membership database, how the group approached the referendum campaign, and how the two men conducted themselves leading the movement.
asserted
men → say → movement
“I believe there are legitimate questions about whether some of those actions complied with their legal obligations, and I think those questions deserve a legal examination,” she said.
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she → believe → examination
The revelation of their apparent firings sparked a wave of finger-pointing and accusations in the wake of Monday’s referendum result, in which 75 per cent of the Alberta electorate rejected the separatist cause and chose to remain a part of Canada.
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cent → spark → Canada
Mr. Sylvestre says he is still in charge of the Prosperity Project; Mr. Rath described meetings that unseated him and Mr. Sylvestre as “imaginary.”
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that → say → him
Chris Scott, an independence advocate who says he sits on the board, said the APP terminated Mr. Sylvestre as chief executive and Mr. Rath as legal counsel on Sept. 14.
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APP → say → Sept.
They were removed as directors 10 days later, he said.
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he → remove → directors
There is documentation, Mr. Scott says, to prove that the two men had been removed from the group.
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men → be → group
In a video, he enumerated a list of allegations that he says led the board to dismiss Mr. Sylvestre and Mr. Rath.
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he → enumerate → Sylvestre
Alberta’s separatist movement has spent more than a year in the international spotlight.
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movement → spend → spotlight
But after Monday’s sharp rebuke from the electorate, it has started to look inward.
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it → start → electorate
On Tuesday, Premier Danielle Smith said it was time to turn a new page and reiterated her commitment to not holding another referendum on the issue as long as she’s Premier.
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she → say → issue
The next day, she issued an ultimatum to separatists within her United Conservative Party intent on transforming the UCP into a vehicle for the movement: accept the results or leave the party.
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she → issue → party
Some independence leaders responded by pledging support for Ms. Smith while others have turned against her.
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others → respond → her
Mr. Sylvestre and Mr. Rath have said that they won’t leave the UCP and will push to elect allies to the provincial board of the party at its annual meeting next month.
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they → say → meeting
Other separatists, including Mr. Scott and Keith Wilson, a lawyer who co-founded the pro-independence group Let Alberta Decide, have lined up behind the Premier.
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Alberta → include → Premier
Mr. Scott, in a video posted Thursday night, said he plans to run for a UCP board position at the late-November AGM.
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he → post → AGM
But he contends that a separatist takeover of the party would be “a disaster.”
asserted
takeover → contend → party
“I do not believe that this plan to try and take over the UCP and create a separatist party after we had only 25 per cent of Albertans even vote to have a conversation about Alberta independence – I do not believe that will bear fruit at all,” he said.
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he → believe → fruit
Mr. Scott alleged that the APP’s membership list was given to two conservative strategists during the referendum campaign.
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list → allege → campaign
Mr. Sylvestre previously told The Globe and Mail that it is a list of roughly 250,000 supporters.
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it → tell → supporters
Communications from the APP have continued under Mr. Sylvestre’s name.
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Communications → continue → name
A Wednesday e-mail from the group thanking supporters for their efforts was signed in his name.
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mail → thank → name
On Thursday night, Mr. Rath suggested that the board meetings never happened.
uncertain
meetings → suggest → night
“Neither Tanya Clemens or Chris Scott were lawfully registered as board members at the time these imaginary board meetings were held,” Mr. Rath wrote on social media, signing off as general counsel for the group.
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Rath → register → group
Mr. Scott replied, writing that Mr. Rath approved meeting minutes in November, 2025, that showed Mr. Scott and Ms. Clemens were board members.
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Scott → reply → November
Mr. Rath replied: “Chris you aren’t a director.
asserted
you → reply → ?
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