What U.S. Ambassador Hoekstra's '51st state' comments and Alberta separatism mean for Canada

In this episode of Hub Politics, Amanda Galbraith, co-founder and president of Oyster Group, and David Coletto, founder and chair of Abacus Data, join Sean Speer to discuss U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra's 51st state comments, what drives the Trump administration's position towards Canada, and how all of this impacts impending Canada-U.S. trade negotiations. In the second half, they discuss Alberta's forthcoming referendum on whether the province should hold a separation referendum. They also analyze Premier Danielle Smith's political calculations on this issue, the risks of legitimizing separatist sentiment, and potential consequences for federal Conservative politics and national unity. If you are enjoying the free version of the Hub Politics, subscribe to become a Hub Hero or Fellow to access the full version every week: https://thehub.ca/join/ The Hub is Canada’s fastest growing independent digital news outlet. Subscribe to The Hub’s podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple) https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Editor Sean Speer - Host