"Bad for business": Former political enemies join forces to fight Alberta separation

Former Alberta premiers Jason Kenney and Rachel Notley — historically bitter political rivals — have formed an unprecedented cross-party alliance to co-chair a national campaign against Alberta separation, launched by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The initiative, spearheaded by Canada's largest business advocacy group, brings together the former Conservative premier and former NDP premier to present a united front to Albertans ahead of an upcoming provincial referendum on whether to initiate a legal process toward leaving Canada.

Why Kenney and Notley are joining forces

Despite years of fierce political battles, both former leaders state that protecting Alberta’s economic stability overrides their ideological differences.

Notley said in a statement that while she and Kenney disagree on most issues, they share the conviction that the referendum is "bad for business" and creates dangerous economic uncertainty. For his part, Kenney argued that while Alberta has valid grievances regarding federal policy, pushing for separation threatens to undermine constructive resolution and destabilize the province's economic foundation.

Compounding these internal friction points are external geopolitical pressures, including broader trade tensions with the United States and global financial instability.

“With geopolitical and economic uncertainty reshaping global trade and investment, Canada will be only better off with greater economic co-operation — not less,” Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Laing said in a statement.

Economic concerns behind the movement

The Chamber’s campaign is driven by data reflecting growing apprehension across the provincial business community:

• Business sentiment: According to a survey by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, 80% of member businesses believe the separation debate is causing direct harm to the provincial economy, with 63% reporting a negative impact on their own operations.
• Investment hesitancy: Models project the province could risk losing $10 billion to $15 billion in capital investment over the coming year as investors adopt a cautious approach amid political instability.
• Wider market slowdown: Economists and industry analysts note that the uncertainty is already creating headwinds in local credit and housing markets, as both institutional investors and consumers defer major financial commitments until political clarity returns.

By establishing a bipartisan leadership team, Kenney, Notley and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce aim to frame the referendum not as a party-line debate, but as a critical economic choice for Alberta's financial future.