Maverick Party

The Wexit movement gained traction in October 2019, shortly after the 2019 Canadian federal election, when the Liberal Party under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was re-elected to form government.{{Cite news |last=Macvicar |first=Adam |date=January 10, 2020 |title=Wexit political party can now run candidates in Canadian federal elections |work=Global News |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6395322/wexit-political-partycanadian-federal-party-status/ |access-date=April 6, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Bogart |first=Nicole |date=October 22, 2019 |title=Wexit: How a political divide in Western Canada is driving calls for separation |work=CTV News |url=https://election.ctvnews.ca/wexit-how-a-political-divide-in-western-canada-is-driving-calls-for-separation-1.4651085 |access-date=January 13, 2020}}{{Cite news |title='Wexit' should heed pitfalls faced by other separatist movements: experts |publisher=CTV News |agency=The Canadian Press |url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/wexit-should-heed-pitfalls-faced-by-other-separatist-movements-experts-1.4741887 |access-date=February 3, 2020}} In August 2019, Wexit Alberta held several meetings including a small summer meeting in Calgary's beltline.{{Cite web |title=New Alberta separation group meets in Calgary: 'It's time to take control' |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5751140/alberta-separation-group-calgary-ottawa-wexit/ |access-date=January 15, 2021 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} A few months later another meeting in Calgary drew about 1700 attendees.{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Matthew |date=November 17, 2019 |title=Calgary Wexit rally draws 1,700 |url=https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2019/11/calgary-wexit-rally-draws-hundreds-no-agreement-on-the-path-forward/ |access-date=January 15, 2021 |website=Western Standard |language=en-CA}}

On January 10, 2020, the party became "eligible for registration" under section 387 of the Canada Elections Act. At the time, it recorded with Elections Canada under the name "Wexit Canada".{{Cite web |last=Antoneshyn |first=Alex |date=January 12, 2020 |title=Wexit Canada becomes eligible federal political party |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/wexit-canada-becomes-eligible-federal-political-party-1.4763442 |access-date=January 12, 2020 |website=CTV News Edmonton}} The following day, the party conducted a protest in Edmonton, involving approximately 100 supporters.{{Cite web |title='We're looking for our own country': Wexit supporters brave cold in Edmonton for referendum protest Saturday |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6399314/wexit-referendum-edmonton-protest/ |access-date=January 12, 2020 |website=Global News}}

In early 2020, Wexit Alberta started purchasing billboards in Alberta criticizing Prime Minister Trudeau for various things such as "ISIS terrorist reintegration", "tax theft", "economic sabotage", "foreign interference" and "ethics violations". This sparked public discussion over the lack of representation in western Canada for some, and criticism of the billboards themselves for others.{{Cite news |last=Dryden |first=Joel |date=January 12, 2020 |title=After anti-Trudeau billboards spark outrage, ad company says it will re-evaluate vetting process |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/trudeau-peter-downing-alberta-fights-back-signpatico-1.5424267 |access-date=January 13, 2020}} Signpatico, an advertising agency based in Regina, that installed the billboards, promised to vet ads more carefully in the future stating that while the company "fundamentally stand[s] by freedom of expression, as per the Charter", Signpatico is not "intending on inciting perceptions of hate speech or offensive ads."{{Cite news |last=Franklin |first=Michael |date=January 11, 2020 |title=Anti-Trudeau billboards advertising Alberta Wexit campaign cause an uproar |work=CTV News |url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/mobile/anti-trudeau-billboards-advertising-alberta-wexit-campaign-cause-an-uproar-1.4763332 |access-date=January 13, 2020}}

In September 2020, Hill announced that the party had changed its name to the "Maverick Party".{{Cite news |last=Dryden |first=Joel |date=September 17, 2020 |title=Seeking broader appeal, separatist Wexit Canada party changes its name to the Maverick Party |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/jay-hill-wexit-top-gun-maverick-party-calgary-canada-1.5728875 |access-date=September 18, 2020}} When the party changed its name, its records with Elections Canada were updated. It remains eligible for registration when an election is called.{{Cite web |title=Registered Political Parties and Parties Eligible for Registration |url=https://elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&document=index&dir=par&lang=e#wexit |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204052938/https://elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&document=index&dir=par&lang=e#wexit |archive-date=February 4, 2020 |publisher=Elections Canada}}

On September 20, 2021, the party ran in the 2021 Canadian federal election for the first time since its founding in 2020. They lost the election with only 1 to 4 percent of the vote going towards the party.{{Cite web |last=Bellefontaine |first=Michelle |date=2021-10-02 |title=Maverick Party reflects on 'disappointing' election result |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/maverick-party-reflects-on-disappointing-election-result-1.6194545 |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=CBC News}}

On May 14, 2022, party members elected Colin Krieger as the new leader of the party. Krieger won the leadership race with 52 per cent of the vote against Tariq Elnaga.{{cite web |title=Krieger new leader of Maverick Party |url=https://www.westernstandard.news/news/krieger-new-leader-of-maverick-party/article_ca0786a4-d3ff-11ec-9ed5-ef73cd903e09.html |website=Western Standard |date=14 May 2022 |access-date=24 June 2022}}

The party was deregistered by Elections Canada on February 28, 2025, after "failing to provide the Registered Party's Annual Financial Transactions Return and auditor's report for 2023."{{cite web |title=Deregistration of the Maverick Party |url=https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&dir=pre&document=mar0325&lang=e |website=Elections Canada |access-date=4 March 2025 |date=3 March 2025}}

While the Wexit movement organized provincial parties to run candidates, the Maverick Party was not directly affiliated with any of these parties.{{Cite web |title=Buffalo Party platform wants same deals as Quebec, but does not include actual separation |url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/buffalo-party-platform-wants-same-deals-as-quebec-but-does-not-include-actual-separation/ar-BB1aj2uO |access-date=January 16, 2021 |publisher=MSN}} The two main organizers of the #Wexit movement were Peter Downing{{Cite news |title=Canada, Wexit, and the federal election targeted in Russian disinformation campaign, academics say |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/canada-wexit-and-the-federal-election-targeted-in-russian-disinformation-campaign-academics-say |quote=One such article, released the day before the Oct. 21 election that saw Prime Minister Justin Trudeau retain office via a minority Parliament, highlighted a separatist movement led by Albertan Peter Downing dubbed Wexit… Marcus Kolga, a Canadian expert in Russia and disinformation, said it was an article likely commissioned by the Russian government. “These are agencies that are directly linked to the Kremlin — and if they’re linked to the Kremlin, they’re directly linked to Vladimir Putin and the president’s office in Russia,” said Kolga.}} and Pat King.{{Cite web |last=Zhou |first=Steven |date=October 30, 2019 |title=#Wexit Founders Are Far-Right Conspiracy Theorists |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/wexit-founders-are-far-right-conspiracy-theorists/ |access-date=February 28, 2022 |website=Vice.com |language=en}}

{{See also|Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta}}

On January 11, 2020, a Wexit rally was held at the Alberta legislature grounds with the goal of collecting the 8,400 signatures required for official party status.{{Cite news |last=Yousif |first=Nadine |date=February 11, 2020 |title='Alberta has been cheated': Wexit supporters on what drives them |work=Maclean's |url=https://www.macleans.ca/politics/wexit-supporters-alberta |access-date=April 27, 2020}}

Wexit reserved the name "Wexit Alberta" with Elections Alberta for use by a provincial party.{{Cite web |title=Wexit Alberta |url=https://wexitalberta.com/ |access-date=March 10, 2020 |website=Wexit Alberta }} According to its constitution, its plans included abolishing the provincial branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the reestablishment of the prior Alberta Provincial Police. It planned to adopt a currency to replace the Canadian dollar as well.{{Cite web |title=Wexit Alberta Constitution |url=https://wexitalberta.com/constitution.html |access-date=January 12, 2020 |publisher=Wexit Alberta}}{{Cite web |title=Wexit Alberta Platform |url=https://wexitalberta.com/platform.html |access-date=February 3, 2020 |publisher=Wexit Alberta}}{{Cite news |last=Levinson-King |first=Robin |date=October 11, 2019 |title=Wexit: Why some Albertans want to separate from Canada |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49899113 |access-date=February 3, 2020}}

On April 27, 2020, Wexit Alberta and the Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta announced plans to merge into a new party called the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta.{{Cite news |last=Mertz |first=Emily |date=April 27, 2020 |title=FCP and Wexit members to vote on merging into Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta |work=Global News |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6873839/alberta-politics-fcp-wexit-vote-unite |access-date=April 27, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Antoneshyn |first=Alex |date=April 27, 2020 |title=Union between Wexit, Freedom Conservative parties on the table |work=CTV News |url=https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/union-between-wexit-freedom-conservative-parties-on-the-table-1.4913690 |access-date=April 27, 2020}} Both parties voted to approve the merger on June 29, 2020.{{Cite news |last=Labby |first=Bryan |date=June 30, 2020 |title=Wexit Alberta and Freedom Conservative Party vote to merge as Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/wexit-alberta-wildrose-independence-party-merger-freedom-conservative-vote-1.5633172 |access-date=July 3, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Naylor |first=Dave |date=June 29, 2020 |title=The 'Wildrose' is back: FCP & Wexit members vote to form new party |work=Western Standard |url=https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/06/fcp-wexit-members-vote-to-form-new-party |access-date=July 3, 2020}} In July 2020, Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://wildrose.party/ |access-date=January 16, 2021 |website=Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta |language=en-US}} (WIPA) was registered with Elections Alberta, giving effect to the merger.{{Cite news |last=Naylor |first=Dave |date=July 17, 2020 |title=WIP gets official status from Elections Alberta |work=Western Standard |url=https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/07/wip-gets-official-status-from-elections-alberta |access-date=July 30, 2020}}{{Cite web |year=2020 |title=Parties |url=https://www.elections.ab.ca/parties-and-candidates/parties |access-date=July 30, 2020 |website=Elections Alberta}} In October 2020, the People's Party of Alberta dissolved and its board members committed support WIPA.{{Cite web |last=Eliasson |first=Niklas |date=October 2, 2020 |title=The People's Party of Alberta (PPA) board dissolves to join Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta |url=https://www.thebuffalotribune.com/post/the-people-s-party-of-alberta-ppa-board-dissolves-to-join-wildrose-independence-party-of-alberta |access-date=January 15, 2021 |website=The Buffalo Tribune |language=en}}

In November 2019, members of a Wexit group held a rally in Prince George.{{Cite news |last=Fetinko |first=Matt |date=November 23, 2019 |title=First Wexit BC rally held in Prince George |publisher=CKPG-TV |url=https://ckpgtoday.ca/2019/11/23/first-wexit-bc-rally-held-in-prince-george |access-date=May 1, 2020}} Wexit BC became a registered party with Elections BC on December 27, 2019.{{cite web |title=Volume CLX, No. 2 |url=https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/bcgaz1/bcgaz1/961720544/search/CIVIX_DOCUMENT_ROOT_STEM:(Wexit)%20AND%20CIVIX_DOCUMENT_ANCESTORS:bcgaz1?7#hit1 |website=The British Columbia Gazette |publisher=Government of British Columbia |date=9 January 2020 |access-date=30 September 2023}}

Officially, the party ran two candidates in the 2020 British Columbia general election.{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2020 |title=2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results (by Candidate) |url=https://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/GE-2020-10-24_Candidate.html |access-date=November 9, 2020 |publisher=Elections BC |archive-date=December 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201052456/https://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/GE-2020-10-24_Candidate.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2020 |title=2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results (by Party) |url=https://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/GE-2020-10-24_Party.html |access-date=November 10, 2020 |publisher=Elections BC |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027042523/https://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/GE-2020-10-24_Party.html |url-status=dead }} At the time the election was called, Lee Smith was the party's leader but he resigned shortly after.{{Cite web |date=April 3, 2020 |title=Registered Political Parties - Information |url=https://elections.bc.ca/docs/fin/Registered-Political-Parties-Information.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2020 |website=Elections BC}} After final nominations closed, the party announced that it was retracting its endorsements of both of its candidates. As this occurred after the close of nominations, both candidates still appeared on the ballot identified as Wexit BC candidates.{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Brennan |date=October 13, 2020 |title=Boundary-Similkameen Wexit candidate faces messy exit |language=en-CA |work=Vernon Morning Star |url=https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/provincial-election/boundary-similkameen-wexit-candidate-faces-messy-exit |access-date=January 15, 2021}}

The party was deregistered on July 4, 2022 after failing to file an annual financial report.{{cite web |title=Volume CLXII, No. 28 |url=https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/bcgaz1/bcgaz1/17951895/search/CIVIX_DOCUMENT_ROOT_STEM:(Wexit)%20AND%20CIVIX_DOCUMENT_ANCESTORS:bcgaz1?1#hit1 |website=The British Columbia Gazette |publisher=Government of British Columbia |date=14 July 2022 |access-date=30 September 2023}}

{{See also|Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan}}

The day after the 2019 federal election, Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan, proposed a "New Deal" with the federal government. He called for an end to the federal carbon tax, renegotiation of the equalization formula, and action on oil-pipeline projects.{{Cite news |last=Hunter |first=Adam |title=Premier Moe demands 'new deal,' says he is handing Justin Trudeau a 'fire extinguisher' |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/moe-new-deal-fire-western-alienation-1.5330659 |access-date=January 12, 2020}} In the weeks after the election, Wexit volunteers began collecting signatures to form a new party. They called on Moe to hold a referendum on separation, saying that if he did not agree they would form a party to do so.{{Cite news |last=White-Crummey |first=Arthur |date=November 8, 2019 |title=Wexit party registration drive coming to Saskatchewan |work=Regina Leader-Post |url=https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/wexit-party-registration-drive-coming-to-saskatchewan |access-date=April 6, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Wiens |first=Colton |date=November 17, 2019 |title=Wexit Saskatchewan gathers signatures to form new party |work=CTV News |url=https://regina.ctvnews.ca/wexit-saskatchewan-gathers-signatures-to-form-new-party-1.4689991 |access-date=April 6, 2020}}

On March 10, 2020, Wexit Saskatchewan became registered as a provincial party with Elections Saskatchewan.{{Cite news |last=Charlton |first=Jonathan |date=March 10, 2020 |title=Wexit Saskatchewan slams Moe, Sask Party as it applies for official party status |work=CTV News |url=https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/wexit-saskatchewan-gets-official-party-status-1.4847135 |access-date=April 6, 2020}}{{Cite news |date=March 10, 2020 |title=Wexit Saskatchewan becomes official political party |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/wexit-saskatchewan-official-party-1.5492781 |access-date=April 6, 2020}} Its first interim leader was Jake Wall.{{Cite web |year=2020 |title=Registered Political Parties |url=https://www.elections.sk.ca/candidates-political-parties/political-parties |access-date=April 6, 2020 |website=Elections Saskatchewan}}{{Cite web |title=Registered Political Parties (as of March 10, 2020) |url=https://cdn.elections.sk.ca/upload/RPP-Info-for-Website-2020.03.10.pdf |access-date=April 6, 2020 |website=Elections Saskatchewan}} Once registered, Wexit Saskatchewan proposed a referendum on independence in its platform.{{Cite web |year=2020 |title=Platform |url=http://wexitsask.com/services.html |access-date=April 6, 2020 |website=Wexit Saskatchewan}}

On June 3, 2020, the party's executive board voted to change the party's name to Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan.{{Cite web |title=Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan |url=https://www.buffalopartysk.com/ |access-date=January 16, 2021 |website=Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan |language=en}} That decision ratified by a membership vote.{{Cite news |last=Harding |first=Lee |date=June 10, 2020 |title='Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan' set for a membership vote |work=Western Standard |url=https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/06/buffalo-party-of-saskatchewan-set-for-a-membership-vote |access-date=June 10, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Zinchuk |first=Brian |date=July 26, 2020 |title=Provincial separatist party rebrands, appoints new interim leader |work=Humboldt Journal |url=https://www.humboldtjournal.ca/news/provincial-seperatist-party-rebrands-appoints-new-interim-leader-1.24176603 |access-date=July 30, 2020}} In July 2020, the party changed its name, and named Wade Sira as its new interim leader.

In the 2020 Saskatchewan general election, the Buffalo Party ran in 17 of the 61 ridings and captured 2.56 per cent of the vote.{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2021 |title=2020 Saskatchewan General Election CBC Interactive |url=https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/saskatchewan/2020/results/ |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}}

No politician has ever endorsed Western secession while sitting as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons. Even at the provincial level, it is rare for Western Canadian legislators to openly sympathize with separatism, and no MLA has ever won re-election after doing so. The only Western Canadian candidate to ever win election while openly running for a party with a secessionist platform was Gordon Kesler, who won as a Western Canada Concept MLA in a 1982 by-election; even in that case Kesler downplayed the separatist aspect of his party's platform.

The party is seeking a presence in the House to advance its goals and ensure the frustrations of Western Canadians are heard.{{Cite web |title=Wexit The Plan |url=http://wexitcanada.com/wexit-the-plan.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191126095857/http://www.wexitcanada.com/wexit-the-plan.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-date=November 26, 2019 |access-date=January 12, 2020 |website=Wexit Canada }}{{Cite news |last=Toneguzzi |first=Mario |date=November 26, 2019 |title='Everyone's angry': Why you're wrong if you think Wexit is just 'an Alberta thing' |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/everyones-angry-why-youre-wrong-if-you-think-wexit-is-just-an-alberta-thing |access-date=April 6, 2020}}{{better source needed|date=January 2020}}

Following the election of Erin O'Toole as the new Conservative Party of Canada leader, Jay Hill was critical, saying that Western Canada would be on the "back burner" under O'Toole's leadership.{{Cite news |last=Naylor |first=Dave |date=August 22, 2020 |title=New Tory leader won't be a friend of the West: Hill |work=Western Standard |url=https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/08/new-tory-leader-wont-be-a-friend-of-the-west-hill |access-date=September 11, 2020}} In September 2020, Hill criticized O'Toole for statements that the Conservatives would ensure Canada meets the Paris Agreement climate change targets.{{Cite news |date=September 11, 2020 |title=Wexit Canada Party slams O'Toole's support of Paris climate targets |work=Power & Politics |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tNxd-HhDQc |access-date=September 11, 2020}}

On April 26, 2022, the party released their policy platform. The platform includes repealing Trudeau’s efforts to block Western economic development such as the ‘No More Pipelines bill’ (C-69) and the ‘Tanker Ban’ (C-48), making major revisions to the equalization formula, institute fiscal responsibility, reduce trade barriers within Canada, increase the exploration and mining of minerals, strengthen provincial autonomy, introduce direct democracy, reform firearms legislation, give greater control of immigration to the provinces, and defunding the CBC.{{Cite web |last=Wagner |first=Michael |title=WAGNER: The Maverick's platform makes them the new party of the West |url=https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/wagner-the-maverick-s-platform-makes-them-the-new-party-of-the-west/article_5dfce187-cfc3-588c-9410-20ed9698e7c5.html |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Western Standard |date=April 30, 2021 |language=en}}

While opposing any form of carbon tax, the Maverick Party took a different approach to dealing with environmental concerns than the Liberals or Conservatives. It did not ignore climate change altogether; instead, the party advocates for energy options such as nuclear, thermal, biomass, LNG (liquified natural gas) and carbon capture projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in western Canada.{{better source needed|date=June 2023|reason=Opinion pieces should not be used for statements of fact per WP:RSOPINION}}

Popular vote in Canada

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2023 Calgary Heritage federal by-election 0.54%, 7th.

{{Portal|Canada|Politics}}

• Cascadia (independence movement)
• Reform Party of Canada
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• Western Block Party
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Category:Right-wing populism in Canada

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Category:Political parties disestablished in 2025

Category:Defunct political parties in Canada