In the rugged heart of Canada's oil country, a storm brews. On April 28, 2025, Mark Carney's Liberal minority victory ignites Alberta's long-simmering resentment. Decades of federal policies have drained $600 billion in net equalization payments, siphoned $40 billion annually in taxes, and choked the $90 billion oil and gas industry with carbon taxes and pipeline delays. Rural Albertans, 67% of whom feel betrayed, rally against Ottawa's grip, while urban centers like Calgary and Edmonton, where 60% cling to unity, brace for conflict. The election's narrow margins-15 Ontario seats flipped by as few as 200 votes-spark cries of fraud, with viral X posts alleging ballot stuffing. Recounts confirm Carney's win, but distrust festers. Alberta's United Conservative government, led by Premier Danielle Smith, strikes back with Bill 54, slashing the referendum threshold to 177,000 signatures, opening the door to a vote on secession. Separatist voices, from Cameron Davies' Republican Party of Alberta to the Alberta Prosperity Project's 200,000 claimed supporters, gain traction, though 75% of Albertans resist. Indigenous chiefs, citing treaty violations, demand Carney intervene, deepening the divide. Amid this powder keg, seven young women, unknown to the world, stand on the cusp of destiny. Brynn Tamsyn Haverford, a Welsh-descended environmentalist from Canmore, pours her passion for Alberta's wilds into eco-rallies, her emerald eyes blazing with defiance. Vesper Liora Strathmore, a Scottish heiress from a Strathmore business dynasty, crafts financial strategies to reclaim Alberta's wealth, her shrewd mind cutting through foreign dominance. Taryn Saffron Whitestone, an Irish rancher's daughter from Pincher Creek, tends cattle with a vision for food security, her red curls bouncing as she dreams of a grain-free future. Kaelith Ravenna Blackwood, an English law enforcement scion from Red Deer, drafts legal frameworks with disciplined precision, her grey eyes fixed on justice. Sigrid Valora Ironwood, a Norwegian military heir from Camrose, plans Arctic defenses, her ice-blue gaze steady against global threats. Isolde Cerys Montague, a French diplomat's daughter from Edmonton, weaves international ties, her amber eyes sparkling with charm. Nyree Tala Sunbear, a Cree lawyer from Siksika Nation, guards treaty rights, her bronze skin glowing with resolve. Each is single, childless, 25-30, college-educated, and full-blooded in their heritage, their lives yet to intersect with Alberta's rebellion.
Alberta Secession plunges readers into a factional firestorm where loyalty, identity, and ambition collide. As Carney's green agenda threatens Alberta's $350 billion economy, rural rebels and oil workers (30% in precarious jobs) clash with urban federalists and Indigenous leaders. Bill 54's passage, Davies' rallies, and X posts (@albertaseparate) fuel a separatist surge, but can Alberta overcome 75% opposition and treaty tensions? This political saga, rooted in real-world grievances and imagined futures, explores a province at war with itself. Will these seven women, driven by tenacity and vision, shape Alberta's path, or will Canada's bonds hold fast? Ian Crossland's debut delivers a gripping, character-driven tale of division and determination, perfect for fans of political intrigue and regional rebellion.
About the Author: Ian Crossland weaves factional narratives that blend gritty realism with human drama. Inspired by Canada's economic and cultural divides, he crafts Alberta Secession as a testament to the power of ordinary voices in extraordinary times. Based in Alberta, Crossland draws on extensive research and local pulse to fuel his storytelling.
