The RCMP announced it had found no evidence of foreign interference in Alberta's referendum process earlier this year.

 

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi claimed on CBC that "the separatists have not been shy about their desire for foreign interference," citing meetings between Alberta independence advocates and senior officials in the Trump administration.

Those meetings may have happened. But meeting with foreign government officials is not, by itself, evidence of foreign interference.

Quebec sovereigntists did the same thing. 

During both referendum campaigns, they met with senior officials in France and the United States to discuss the consequences of a possible "Yes" vote. Those meetings were treated as diplomatic outreach, not proof of foreign election interference. Simply meeting with foreign officials has never, by itself, been considered evidence of foreign interference.

Foreign interference is a specific allegation. It generally involves covert or deceptive efforts by a foreign state to improperly influence a democratic process. To date, neither CSIS nor the RCMP has publicly said that Alberta's referendum campaign is the target of confirmed foreign electoral interference.

In fact, the letter Nenshi himself requested from CSIS stated only that referendums could create conditions that foreign actors seek to exploit. It did not conclude that Alberta's referendum is currently being manipulated by a foreign government. 

Earlier this year, the RCMP also indicated it had no evidence of foreign interference affecting Alberta's referendum process.

Nenshi's statement appears to conflate two very different things: public meetings with American officials and covert foreign interference. Those are not automatically the same.

Meanwhile, questions have also been raised about funding transparency on the federalist side of the campaign. 

Forever Canadian has publicly indicated it would accept financial support regardless of where it originates, despite Alberta's referendum financing rules requiring eligible contributions and disclosure through Elections Alberta. If contributions originate from ineligible sources, they could raise compliance issues under Alberta election law.