Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, the leader of the Parti Quebecois, has called for the abolition of equalization payments, which amount to $13.6 billion this year for Quebec. St-Pierre Plamondon, who is from Quebec, is gaining traction in the province and could potentially become its next premier. His party currently holds six seats in the National Assembly but is leading in opinion polls, with nearly 60 percent of Quebecers aged 18 to 34 supporting independence.

During a recent visit to Alberta, St-Pierre Plamondon spoke at the University of Calgary’s school of public policy and met with local separatists. He emphasized the importance of recognizing Alberta's identity and expressed support for its independence if that is the will of the people. "Alberta does have a genuine identity," he stated in an interview. "An identity cannot be imposed and it cannot be denied. It’s there or it’s not."

St-Pierre Plamondon described his meetings with Alberta separatists as a form of diplomacy. He has also reached out to independence leaders in Scotland, Belgium, England, and France. He believes that the frustrations in Alberta stem from the current equalization framework and federal policies that do not align with provincial voting outcomes.

On Thursday, he held a private session with leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project, a separatist group. Jeffrey Rath, one of the leaders, noted that they share common ground in opposing what they view as a "colonial, corrupt Ottawa." St-Pierre Plamondon's criticism of equalization payments resonated with the Alberta separatists. He argued that these payments are detrimental to Quebec's economy and come with a sense of contempt. "I don’t want it. It’s toxic. It’s not good for our economy," he said. "I want Quebec to self-determine democratically. And I hope Albertans would want the same thing for themselves."

He further claimed that equalization payments hinder growth and entrepreneurship. When asked about Alberta's grievances regarding Quebec's stance on pipeline approvals, St-Pierre Plamondon dismissed the issue as irrelevant. He maintained that the tensions between the provinces arise from the equalization system and federal authority, rather than pipeline politics.

Despite the ideological differences between the Parti Quebecois, which leans social democratic, and Alberta's right-wing separatist leaders, St-Pierre Plamondon believes that the desire for independence transcends political beliefs. He stated, "You need to accept that loyalty towards democracy is beyond ideology."

St-Pierre Plamondon aims to revive the principles and strategies that led the Parti Quebecois to victory in 1976 under former premier Rene Levesque. He noted that Levesque was welcomed in Alberta during his time, highlighting a historical connection between the two provinces.