The episode of the Gravity Well podcast, with Professor Duane Bratt of the Mount Royal University, focuses on two major themes: gerrymandering in Alberta and a massive voter data breach tied to separatist movements and foreign interference.
On gerrymandering, Bratt notes there are no major updates: an MLA committee has been named, but its advisory body and final maps are still pending. He expects the final outcome will differ from both the majority and minority reports and involve significant redrawing of boundaries, not just adding two seats. He contrasts Alberta’s long timeline (next election likely October 2027) with the United States, where maps are being redrawn even as they approach a November 2026 vote.
The main focus is a large-scale data breach: Elections Alberta’s voters list for 2.9 million people was legitimately provided to the new Republican Party of Alberta, which had not run in the 2023 general election but had only contested three by-elections. That list was then transferred—possibly sold or given—to the Centurion Project, a pro-separatist organization that is not a political party. Elections Alberta detected the leak because they “salt” each party’s list with fake names; those fake names appeared on the Centurion list, tracing the breach back to the Alberta Republican Party.
Bratt explains why this is far more serious than a “phone book,” contrary to Centurion leader David Parker’s claim. The voters list includes polling station information and other data never in phone books, and unlike phone books, individuals cannot opt out; people who would normally hide their information (judges, police, some teachers, people fearing harassment or doxxing) are exposed. He calls it a huge breach of privacy and security.
He outlines potential harms: doxxing of public figures (Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney’s personal data have already been released), risks to victims of domestic abuse and child custody disputes, resale of data to companies, and use as a baseline for identity theft (names, addresses, emails, phone numbers). Politically, the Centurion Project held the list for at least a month while gathering signatures for a petition to trigger an Alberta separation referendum in October 2026; Bratt raises the possibility that some petition entries could have been filled using voters-list data without consent, especially since only signatures would need to be added.
Multiple investigations are underway: Elections Alberta, the Alberta Privacy Commissioner, the RCMP, and Edmonton Police Service are all investigating. Elections Alberta has issued cease-and-desist letters to at least 600 Centurion affiliates who had access to the full list, though the true spread is unknown due to the group’s multi-level-marketing-style recruitment (each person recruiting ten more, and so on). Bratt stresses this is a massive breach with political, civil, and criminal consequences, some of which may only emerge over time.
On legal exposure, Bratt notes that distributing the list can carry fines up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail, though he doubts every volunteer will face such penalties. He suggests key figures like David Parker and Republican Party leader Cam Davies could be in serious legal jeopardy, and notes that separatist leader Jeff Rath had previously directed people to Centurion before later distancing himself. Note: Parker is not complying with the Elections Alberta investigation at the moment.
Bratt then details links between the United Conservative Party (UCP) and separatist actors: Mitch Sylvester, leader of the Alberta Prosperity Project, is also a UCP constituency association president; UCP MLA Jason Stephan wrote an op-ed advocating separatism; and a UCP staffer attended a mid-April Centurion meeting where Jason Kenney’s personal information was released. The NDP reported the staffer’s presence to Elections Alberta and the RCMP, yet Premier Danielle Smith has blamed the NDP for not informing her, even though her own staffer was at the meeting, which Bratt calls “bonkers.” He questions why a premier’s staffer was at a private, invite-only separatist organizing meeting and what report he provided afterward.
Bratt and about 40 Alberta academics (political scientists, law professors, criminologists) are calling for a broad public inquiry, arguing that existing investigations are too narrow and focused on legalities rather than ethics and systemic issues. They want an independent, well-resourced, and fast-moving inquiry, given the planned 2026 referendum, to examine questions such as whether parties should receive voters lists at all and whether all parties should be treated equally, especially brand-new or fringe parties. Bratt cites Calgary’s 2021 municipal election, where Elections Calgary withheld the voters list from all mayoral candidates because one candidate, Kevin J. Johnston, was a known doxxer facing criminal charges; the election proceeded smoothly, suggesting parties may not need such lists.
TAKE ACTION! Join the 40 Alberta Academics in Calling for a Broad Public Inquiry
To: generalinfo@oipc.ab.ca
Subject: Request for a Public Inquiry Outside of the Government of Alberta’s Reach
To Whom It May Concern,
The RCMP and Elections Alberta investigations regarding the doxxing of 2.9 million Albertans, including myself, are insufficient and are likely to not be complied with. This breach cannot be considered limited to Alberta as separatism aims extends to British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The scope of a nation wide investigation must include:
Such an inquiry must be:
Independent, with leadership free from political influence;
Transparent, with proceedings open to public scrutiny;
Comprehensive, with the authority to compel testimony and documents;
Forward-looking, offering clear recommendations to prevent future breaches and strengthen safeguards; and
Ideally completed before Albertans cast ballots in any future election or referendum.
Considering the investigations undertaken by the current Government of Alberta (example: the Alberta Health Services procurement scandal) have been scope-limited and conducted by individuals with connections to the United Conservative Party of Alberta, it is imperative an investigation occurs from outside the province or outside the GOA’s control.
Please take this threat seriously, as the future of our country is on the line.
Sincerely,
Jenny Yeremiy, Calgary-Bow
Include your postal code
The conversation broadens to foreign interference and separatist propaganda. Bratt notes that David Parker has said he obtained the organizing technology from U.S. Republicans, indicating foreign tactical influence, while the underlying data in this case came from Alberta’s voters list. He points to evidence of separatist-related disinformation originating from Russia, the Netherlands, and Florida, and warns that foreign actors may now have access to the leaked list. Some foreign actors, he says, want to break up Canada (Trump has talked about annexing Canada), others like China seek to sow chaos in democracies, and some simply want to profit by producing AI videos and other content.
They discuss AI-generated propaganda such as the “Sovereign Steel” video, played at Alberta Prosperity Project rallies, which portrays stereotypical rural male roles, marginalizes women (only shown as wife, daughter, and Danielle Smith), and caricatures Mark Carney as a mocking monarch. The creator, “Full Metal Patriot,” is an American who has produced similar content for the U.S. and U.K., illustrating foreign involvement. Bratt notes that while some videos are crude “slopaganda,” they still amplify existing divisions on issues like equalization, immigration, oil and gas, transgender rights, and COVID, by exaggerating kernels of truth.
Bratt references Canada’s recent public inquiry into foreign interference in the 2021 federal election, which found that foreign actors focused on nomination races and misinformation in non-English/French media, potentially affecting a handful of seats even if not the overall result. He argues foreign actors (China, Russia, and now the U.S. element) have reasons to target Alberta as well. He contrasts UCP claims—via Mike Ellis and Danielle Smith—that the RCMP found no foreign interference in the Alberta referendum with CSIS’s director, who told CBC’s The House that foreign interference is occurring; Bratt concludes that foreign interference, broadly defined (misinformation, money flows, attempts to influence outcomes), is already underway even before any vote.
Politically, Bratt notes that Mark Carney has commented on the breach, while Pierre Poilievre and all Alberta Conservative MPs have remained silent, unlike non-Conservative MPs who have spoken out. He criticizes separatists’ “situational ethics”: they oppose government data collection (e.g., gun registry, census) yet downplay the release of data on nearly three million people when it serves separatist goals.
Within the separatist movement, the breach has triggered infighting. Longtime separatist Corey Morgan has condemned the privacy violation and warned it harms the cause; Mitch Sylvester and Jeff Rath are distancing themselves from David Parker, while Morgan and Rath feud publicly. Duane and I also discuss the Overton window and how repeated exposure to propaganda normalizes extreme ideas.
They touch on definitional issues: RCMP and CSIS reportedly do not classify overt statements by foreign politicians (e.g., J.D. Vance campaigning with Viktor Orbán, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent endorsing Alberta separatism, or a potential Trump endorsement) as foreign interference, focusing instead on covert actions. Bratt notes that U.S. commentators like Tucker Carlson and Glenn Beck have publicly called for military intervention in Canada to remove what they describe as an undemocratic government; while not necessarily criminal, he argues these are deeply unethical interventions, especially given Carlson’s speaking tour in Alberta that included Premier Smith.
Throughout, Bratt emphasizes that not all harmful or unethical behaviour is criminal, and that a public inquiry is needed to address broader ethical, democratic, and systemic questions beyond the scope of police or privacy investigations.
Want More?
Have a listen to my latest conversation with Charlie Angus / The Resistance in Edmonton last week!
