Journalists are taught to punch up, not down. That’s what makes me hesitate, sometimes, when criticizing the arguments made by Alberta’s most prominent separatist leaders. Yes, they represent a clear threat to our politics, our prosperity and our national unity. But they’re also some of the most wildly misinformed people I’ve ever encountered and their arguments practically defeat themselves. 

Whether it’s up or down, though, it’s time to do some punching. Let’s focus on a specific (and spectacularly stupid) argument they keep making: that Alberta could be just like Norway. Over on the nonconsensual deepfake website that calls itself X, David Parker — the one-time confidante and political ally of Alberta premier Danielle Smith — tried it out for size. “Alberta has the same population as Norway,” he posted, “but we are much poorer, despite having way more natural resources than Norway, because we are tax slaves for Ottawa.”

He’s hardly the only one making this comparison. Nadine Wellwood, a pro-independence speaker and author, floated it at a recent pro-separatism talk she gave in small town Alberta (Buck Creek, to be specific) alongside Queen’s Law professor Bruce Pardy and podcaster Jason Lavigne. “Have you heard of this country called Norway?” she asked the crowd. “It’s kind........

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