Alberta separatists recycle unfounded Trudeau 'old stock white Canadians' quote

"Mr. Trudeau said, 'The very concept of a nation founded by European settlers is offensive to me,' he is offended by us," Alberta Prosperity Project CEO Mitch Sylvestre says at a January 26, 2026 independence rally in Calgary (archived here).

He continues the quote supposedly from Trudeau: "Old stock white Canadians are an unpleasant relic, and quite frankly, replaceable. And we will replace them."

Independence town halls from as early as November 2025 referenced the quote, sometimes accompanying it with a black and white image of the former prime minister (archived here) with overlayed text in a version of the claim that has circulated online for at least eight years.

The reference to the supposed citation also resurfaced recently on Facebook and X.

"They're not slowing down. So they are actively replacing us," Sylvestre says in a November 4, 2025 livestream of an event in Edmonton, pointing to charts depicting high levels of immigration to Canada (archived here).

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Screenshot of a YouTube video taken January 29, 2026

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Screenshot of an X post taken January 29, 2026

Residents broadly disliked Trudeau's climate friendly policies in the oil-rich Alberta province, where a separatist movement has simmered in the background for years.

Even with more energy production pledged by current Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the possibility of an independence vote appears closer than ever with a citizen's initiative petition already collecting signatures.

Sylvestre is the proponent of the petition listed on the Elections Alberta website (archived here).

Trudeau pushed immigration as a key issue during his tenure, when a record number of newcomers arrived in Canada (archived here).

However, a reversal in the country's broad immigration consensus preceded a backtrack on entry policies from the ruling Liberal Party, as well as Trudeau's January 2025 resignation amidst cratering popularity.

The Alberta separatist movement and immigration to Canada have both sparked numerous misleading claims.

Similarly, there is no evidence Trudeau ever said "old stock white Canadians" should be replaced.

Keyword searches do not unearth any reporting on the supposed quote. Instead, results lead to an article debunking its existence after the old meme was shared by Randy Hillier, a former member of Ontario's provincial parliament who shared other misleading claims fact-checked by AFP.

Previous 'old stock' debate

Further queries reveal the term "old stock Canadians" was at the heart of a back-and-forth between Trudeau and his predecessor as prime minister, Stephen Harper, when the pair competed in the 2015 Canadian federal election.

Media reported Harper faced backlash over whether the phrase had racist undertones when he used it during a debate, with the politician later implying it referred to "Canadians who have been the descendants of immigrants for one or more generations." 

Amid the controversy, Trudeau told reporters on September 18, 2015 that Harper was "playing the politics of division." But he did not say anything about being offended by the "concept of a nation founded by European settlers" during the appearance (archived here).

"Mr. Harper is once again highlighting that he doesn't believe that a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian, that there are different categories of Canadian and that, quite frankly, is not just offensive, it's harmful," Trudeau continued.

'Replacement theory'

In clips from the recent separatist events, Sylvestre follows up the unfounded quote by saying he is "not mad at the immigrants" or that they are "getting a raw deal." But in at least one meeting in central Alberta's Didsbury on January 7, 2026 he says: "So our prime minister is telling the world this replacement theory is real."

The "great replacement" theory has long circulated in far-right online circles alleging a conspiracy to replace white populations with migrants and minorities.

Local media reported an anti-racism watchdog was fielding a complaint following the comments at the separatist town hall in Didsbury. AFP reached out to Sylvestre and Alberta Prosperity Project but a response was not forthcoming at the time of publication.

The petition currently circulating in Alberta will have to receive at least 177,732 signatures before the separation question can be sent to a vote, with recent polls indicating 29 percent of the province supports independence (archived here).

Republican allies of US President Donald Trump have voiced support for an independent Alberta but Carney recently advised the United States to "respect Canadian sovereignty."

Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation in Canada here.