Alberta musician Paul Brandt won’t clarify opinion on separation after online post

CALGARY — Alberta country music star Paul Brandt won’t divulge his stance on the ongoing separatist movement in the province.

Brandt refused to provide a definitive answer Tuesday when asked by reporters for a yes-or-no response to whether he believes Alberta should separate from Canada.

“I think that we have an environment right now where a lot of people in this country and in this province have very legitimate grievances, and that just goes without saying,” he said.

“And really, it’s not up to me to make political statements to try to get people to move one way or the other.”

Speaking in Calgary at an event to promote Not In My City, an organization he founded to combat human trafficking, Brandt was asked about a Saturday post on his social media account that elicited questions about his view on separation.

The post shows a photo of him at a crosswalk with lyrics from his 2004 song “Alberta Bound” over top. A highlighted line reads, “Yeah, I’ve got independence in my veins.”

Alberta separatists have been gathering signatures across the province to push for a referendum that would ask residents to vote on whether they agree the province should cease to be a part of Canada and become an independent state.

On Monday, at one of the many recent signing events, hundreds of people lined up in Calgary to ink their names on the petition for the referendum.

People voiced their concerns about Alberta’s toxic relationship with Ottawa and said the province would be stronger as an independent state and the sole benefactor of its resource wealth.

Brandt said he was surprised by the public reaction to his post. Several comments derided him for potentially alluding to support the separatist movement.

Brandt said he recently finished on a cross-country tour and regularly played “Alberta Bound.”

“I would talk to the audience about how I’ve been playing this song a little bit differently these days … it’s maybe a bit more like a hymn, maybe a little more reverently, especially in times like this,” he said.

“I think what kind of a city and what kind a province and what kind of a country do I want this to be. And the room falls silent. They’re looking around, they’re waiting for the announcement, they’re awkward, they’re not sure what to do.

“And then I start to play, ‘Sign said, 40 miles to Canada,’ and the whole crowd starts to sing along. Isn’t that a beautiful vision? That’s where I stand.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2026.