Alberta Prosperity Project pushes for an independent Alberta

By Kelsey Hipkin Local Press Writer
Alberta’s separation was the main topic of discussion at an event Friday, April 22 at the Stavely Community Centre.
Four representatives of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) addressed a crowd of about 400: Dr. Dennis Modry, Tanner Hnidey, Naomi Smart and Chris Scott. The event was moderated by former Patricia, Alberta teacher and APP Chapter member Shannon Packham.
The goal of the APP, according to its website, is to “chart a new path forward unconstrained by the consistent unfair treatment of Alberta within Confederation.” And its mission includes making Alberta the “most free and prosperous nation in the world”, having First Nations participate as ‘founding partners’ ‘, high quality education and health care and becoming the lowest taxed and highest GDP per capita nation in the world.
Retired cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Modry led the evening discussion. A native of Camrose, Dr. Modry is APP’s chief executive officer and led with an analogy stemming from his 30 years of work in medicine.
“If I could save a person, maybe I could help to save a province.”
With enough APP membership to sway Alberta’s 2023 election, Dr. Modry said an independent Alberta could be achieved by 2025 or 2026 at the latest.
He was followed by Hnidey, APP’s VP of Economics, who hails from Lloydminster.
Hnidey stressed the importance of fertilizer in world food production, and how Canada’s carbon tax should be abolished to further support the farmers who feed us.
Before a short break, Dr. Modry and Hnidey took time to answer some audience questions.
When asked about how to deal with foreign investments in the province, Dr. Modry said APP wants to make Alberta one of the most attractive places in the world to invest.
“Investment is not necessarily bad at all, it’s when investment by foreign entities controls Alberta,” he said. “So one of the things we would advocate for is no foreign company could ever have a controlling interest in an Alberta-based business.”
Another attendee queried about keeping corruption out of government.
Dr. Modry said the new Alberta would hold the government accountable with recall more robustly than currently exists, and that the government would be a smaller structure with only nine portfolios.
“Are you ever going to be able to eliminate [corruption] entirely?” he asked. “Probably not but I bet with a new nation, just think – we’re starting out as a new nation – we can create it as we want so we’re going to roll out a constitution proposal for everybody.”
When asked about what would happen to Albertans’ pensions, Hnidey said they would get better. He stated, even today, if a Canadian lives in France, they still get their pension.
Following the question period was Naomi Smart and her presentation: The Immorality of Corporations. Smart was terminated from her oil and gas job without cause in 2021 after seeking more information on her rights versus the company’s vaccine mandate.
The evening wrapped with Chris Scott, owner of the Whistle Stop Cafe in Mirror, Alberta. The Whistle Stop was made famous when, in 2021, Scott refused an emergency closure application due to COVID-19 health restrictions.
“There is a tangible solution for our problem,” Scott said. “It’s within reach. It’s plausible and it’s probable. And the reason it is, is because folks just like you all over the province have had enough and they want something to do and they’re waiting to get involved, they’re waiting to stand up and use their voices.”
“We attended the event for multiple reasons, however the incredible rise in input costs for our farming operation is one of our major concerns,” said event attendee Shlane Broomfield, who farms with her family just north of Stavely. “I felt that the multiple speakers touched on pressing issues that are concerning for many Albertans.
“The APP group is presenting reasonable solutions to Albertans to overcome the major challenges we are being faced with today. It is about Albertans uniting.”
Modry said APP has engaged a marketing company to roll out a “massive educational campaign” on social media, radio, television and alternate media (such as Rebel News) and is setting up chapters throughout Alberta. He added there were 130 chapters across Alberta at the time of the event.
The next APP live events are slated for Athabasca (April 30), Westlock (May 1), and Coronation (May 6). For more information visit albertaprosperityproject.com.