Covert meetings between separatist activists in the Canadian province of Alberta and members of Donald Trump’s administration amount to “treason”, the premier of British Columbia said on Thursday. Organizers of the Alberta independence movement, which still boasts only minority support, are now collecting signatures to trigger a referendum there. The Ontario premier, Doug Ford, said Smith needed “to stand up [to the separatists] and say enough is enough”. “Rumour [is] that they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not … People are talking. They have warned no secession is possible without consultation with treaty holders, whose agreement predates the creation of Alberta as a province within Canada.