Today on On The Line, host Jen Gerson speaks with Stéphane Dion — noted federalist, former Liberal Party leader, academic, and diplomat — about what secession from Canada actually entails as separatist sentiment gains renewed attention in Alberta.

As the architect of the Clarity Act, Dion brings a unique perspective to the debate, walking through the legal, political, and practical realities of what separation would really mean. Jen presses him on a question that comes up often in these discussions: why does Canada appear to have a kind of national suicide pill embedded in its own legislation?

From there, the conversation broadens into a more philosophical discussion about federalism, national unity, and what the promise of Canada still offers to people who live and work in Alberta. It’s a sober, clear-eyed look at secession not as a slogan or protest gesture, but as a serious and consequential act — and at why Dion believes the Canadian project remains worth defending.

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