Election Meddling? Trump Is No One to Point Fingers

As Americans vote in today’s momentous election, what are Canadians to make of claims by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa that our politicians have tried to influence the outcome of the contest?

As proof, the Americans cite Canada’s use of retaliatory tariffs that hurt Republican states and anti-tariff advertising beamed into the United States.

Mark Carney said those claims had “no merit.” His Oct. 23 rebuttal was magnified because it was at a news conference in Turkey and the world was watching. “We have no intention to interfere with their democratic processes,” flatly stated the prime minister.

He also noted pointedly that senior U.S. officials had met with activists in the Alberta separation movement three times in Washington in the run-up to the Oct. 19 Alberta referendum.

The tariffs against Canada are causing major economic pain in the United States. That is especially true in border states.

But could the charges of interference be more than an attempt to slam Canada before the U.S. midterms?

Is it possible that President Donald Trump’s accusation was made to deflect from the ongoing RCMP investigation of Alberta separatists, who used U.S. Republican operatives and the 10X Votes computer program to illegally mine an Alberta voters list, a move designed to help these separatists win the Alberta secession vote?

That, of course, would be overt foreign interference in Canadian politics, as well as a blatant attempt to divide the country.

A clear case of meddling, in Alberta

Trump has repeatedly brayed about wanting to make Canada the 51st state. And as Carney reminded everyone, Alberta separatists went to Washington to court support with officials at a classified level.

On April 30, 2026, Elections Alberta released an update on the unauthorized use of the master list of Alberta electors. It was taking seriously the unauthorized use of the Republican Party of Alberta list of electors by Centurion Project Ltd. That voters list, containing highly sensitive information, is protected by privacy laws. The separatist group had allegedly used the data even though they were not authorized to even have it.

The next day, on May 1, 2026, Elections Alberta issued a further message from the chief electoral officer about the use of the electors list.

Hundreds of Albertans had reported concerns about the impact of the unauthorized use of the list. “We have heard countless stories about the risks people face having their information made public, including stories from domestic abuse survivors, law enforcement, marginalized communities and more,” stated the chief electoral officer. “We agree this is an extremely serious situation.”

The list contained the names and addresses of lawyers and judges, politicians, First Nations Chiefs and civil servants.

The Republican Party of Alberta has denied sharing the list with the Centurion Project and told CBC it is assisting in the investigation.

Elections Alberta has said it’s not clear how the list changed hands. Was it hacked? Or purchased on the dark web with grey money? Or is it possible the list was simply given directly to the U.S. Republican operatives from Michigan on the January day they flew into Calgary on a private jet and met with the Alberta separatists? Did those U.S. Republicans use the list to develop a special 10X Votes program specifically tailored to the Alberta referendum?

Representatives from Elections Alberta, supported by the Edmonton Police Service, met with representatives of the Centurion Project in Edmonton. The purpose was to ensure that a cease-and-desist letter was received. They were told to stop accessing any information on the electors list. An injunction was even obtained to prohibit further use of the list.

The injunction ordered the Centurion Project Ltd. and the Republican Party of Alberta to identify anyone given information from the list of electors and to provide their contact information.

Elections Alberta is apparently working with law enforcement and the privacy commissioner of Alberta to determine the scale of the breach and any additional action required. The sensitive information, which included phone numbers and even some middle names, could of course expose Albertans to identity theft and fraud. It could also open some to danger — such as from a violent ex-spouse who would now be able to track them down after they had gone into hiding for their own safety.

Organizers of the Centurion Project published the addresses of former premiers Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney, who were working hard to keep Alberta in Confederation.

A person contravening Section 163(d) of the Election Act is liable for a fine of up to $100,000 and a year in jail. The seriousness of the penalty reflects the gravity of the offence.

Separatists in turmoil

Things got a little weird in the aftermath of the separation vote. The Globe and Mail published a story on Oct. 23 reporting that Jeffrey Rath and Mitch Sylvestre, two prominent separatist leaders, had been fired from the Alberta Prosperity Project, or APP, six weeks previously “for cause.”

According to APP board member Tanya Clemens, the news was not made public earlier so it would not become the story during the referendum campaign. She also said there were concerns about who was given access to the APP’s membership database. Clemens said: “I believe there are legitimate questions about whether some of those actions complied with their legal obligations, and I think those questions deserve a legal examination.”

For the record, both men disputed that they had been fired by the APP board and also said they would not leave the United Conservative Party. Rath had his UCP membership revoked on Oct. 30. He was the first separatist leader to be asked to leave.

Chris Scott, who sits on the APP board, said the organization terminated both Sylvestre as chief executive and Rath as legal counsel, alleging the APP’s membership list was given to two conservative strategists during the campaign.

The Globe did an investigation into the January 2026 meeting of Alberta separatists and U.S. Republican operatives that gave more details. The meeting took place in a boardroom near the Calgary International Airport.

It should be noted that the United States invaded Venezuela on Jan. 3 and removed its president and his wife. A triumphant Trump declared that move was “core to national security.” The United States would now run that country and take over its oil reserves — the largest in the world.

Alberta has the fourth-largest oil reserves globally, as well as critical minerals. It also boasts another precious commodity transported by pipeline — fresh water.

The guests at the meeting were U.S. Republican political strategists from Michigan, who had helped Trump win the state in 2024. The delegation was in Calgary to pitch the 10X Votes software developed for Republicans to get out the vote.

David Parker, the home-schooled messianic son of an Alberta preacher, had organized the meeting and promoted the software. He said he learned about the 10X software back in 2024, when he was on a speaking tour with U.S. Republican activist Tucker Carlson.

Praying with the Americans

Parker was known for driving around Alberta in his Ford F-150 pickup to organize right-wing voters and speak to anyone who would listen. He also turned anger on the right about vaccine mandates into a vehicle to oust Jason Kenney as premier of Alberta. He then went on to help install Danielle Smith as leader of the United Conservative Party. His ultimate aim is to create a sovereign Alberta anchored by Christianity and family values — a pretty good definition of a Christian nationalist.

Mitch Sylvestre attended the January meeting with the Americans. He observed: “They were young Christians. Capable, intelligent people. We prayed before we started the meeting.”

10X works by mining voters lists to identify like-minded people that normally don’t vote. Then they could be mobilized by friends and family, people who know them, to help swing elections. Parker was “blown away” by the software. It was much better than knocking on doors. At a separatist meeting in April, he demonstrated a version adapted for use in Alberta. Parker called the program “the most effective way I have ever come across to win a campaign.”

The use of the software was a massive privacy breach involving the personal data of almost three million Albertans. According to the Globe investigation, it also raised alarms inside Canada’s security agencies. If the Canadian Security Intelligence Service is not looking into this, it should be. The separatists had three meetings with Trump officials seeking a line of credit of $400 billion to finance secession. One of those meetings took place in a secure room at the State Department.

Here was yet another blatant example of Alberta separatists seeking U.S. help.

Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, who helped Trump win Michigan in 2024, is familiar with the 10X Votes software. But he told the Globe, “I have zero involvement with 10X Votes in Canada.” He had also invited Tamara Lich, a prominent leader of the trucker convoy, to attend his Fourth of July party at his residence in Ottawa this year. Lich was under house arrest at the time but was given permission by the courts to attend the soiree.

It is not known if David Parker is co-operating with the voters-list investigation by Elections Alberta. But according to Alberta’s chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, Parker refused to sign a declaration that he would cease and desist with respect to the list of electors.

Parker has a history with Elections Alberta. It levied over $120,000 in fines against Take Back Alberta and Parker for violations of campaign finance law during the 2023 provincial election. His violations included failure to report income from fundraising activities, accepting money from outside the province and knowingly making a false statement to the chief electoral officer.

Parker says that out of $1.5 million raised, an $8,000 donation was mistakenly made from a U.S. account. There were also three small donations made by Americans directly to Take Back Alberta. Those donations were returned. Some of these matters have been referred to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

Parker posted on social media that allegations that he had personally received or distributed unauthorized voter data are false. Take Back Alberta said they had purchased data from a third party. It is critical to find out who that third party is.

In May 2026, after investigations were initiated, Parker apparently went to Texas. He posted a photo from the Lone Star State on Facebook. He returned to Alberta in October to campaign for Alberta independence. On social media he later called the results of the vote “bleak” and a clear “defeat” for the separatist movement.

Further investigation needed

There is a reason Trump sued 30 states and Washington, D.C., for their voters lists, even though under the U.S. Constitution voting is administered by the states. Voters lists are powerful tools to swing elections. Thankfully, 27 of Trump’s cases so far have been thrown out by district courts.

After the recent Conservative victory in B.C., former Alberta premier Jason Kenney made an astute observation on social media. “Yet another reminder to Conservative parties: ignore the crazy fringe of the hard populist right. Don’t let the tail wag the dog. Let them stay in their fringe parties.”

Profound questions remain. Will an investigation show an even deeper Canadian connection to the white nationalists in the U.S. Republican party? If so, who, if anyone, within the separatist movement will make a deal to save themselves?

Or will the whole thing just fade away, since no one wants to upset the malignant narcissist currently occupying the White House?

This much is clear: Canadians need to know more about what appears to be an obvious attempt by U.S. Republicans to interfere in Canada’s elections.

Canada’s very future may well depend upon it.