July 23, 2026· Western Standard
Alberta Independence Telethon Raises $150K for Pro-Independence TPAs
A 12-hour YouTube telethon organized by John Bolton raised $150,000 for TPAs campaigning for a binding Alberta independence referendum.
Alberta independence supporters donated $150,000 to nationalist third-party advertisers on Saturday during a 12-hour YouTube telethon, as pro-independence groups work to counter better-funded federalist opposition ahead of the October 19 referendum. Organizer John Bolton called the effort's success a case of Albertans "rooting for the underdog," raising money directly for seven TPAs campaigning for a binding independence referendum.
Let Alberta Decide, one of the participating TPAs, received $70,000 on Saturday alone, bringing its total raised since registering with Elections Alberta on June 17 to over $256,000. Bolton said he's already planning another fundraising event for late August, though it won't be another telethon.