Separatist activist quits chamber of commerce amid Centurion Project probes

A prominent enter in the Centurion throw resigned this hebdomad as chairperson of his local chamber of commercialism, a move that comes after the separatist group’s alleged privacy breach and Elections Alberta investigation.

Tim Hoven stepped down Tuesday as president of the Rocky Mountain House and District Chamber of Commerce in west-central Alberta, days after a court ordered the Centurion Group to take down an online database that Elections Alberta has said contained private information of the 2.9 million Albertans on the provincial voters’ list.

Hoven spoke at several Centurion Project events, helping persuade fellow activists to get involved with the group that was using the database as an outreach tool for their separatist cause.

“As I previously explained to the board, if my personal views on Alberta independence were ever to become a distraction from the chamber’s work, I would resign my position,” Hoven wrote in his resignation letter to fellow board members.

The organic beef rancher near Eckville, Alta., said in the letter he holds no leadership or decision-making role with any pro-independence group, and that his involvement has been limited to speeches. The emcee at a Centurion Project event last week in Edmonton introduced Hoven as its “co-founder,” although Hoven said Thursday in a text message that he is not.

In one video podcast last week, Centurion Project head David Parker said he intended to make Hoven its leader after it was fully built out.

Elections Alberta issued cease-and-desist letters to 568 people this week who were given or had access to Centurion’s copy of the voter list. 

RCMP is also investigating, as is Alberta Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod, who has said this could be a “very serious” privacy breach affecting nearly three million Albertans, including public officials, law enforcement and survivors of domestic violence.

Parker has said allegations he “personally received or distributed” unauthorized voter data are false.

Chambers of commerce around Alberta have been raising concerns about the harm separatism or even the debate about it could have on the province’s businesses.

Hoven, the former reeve of Clearwater County, remains on the board of directors at Bow Valley Credit Union, which has branches throughout southern and central Alberta.

Bow Valley CEO Brett Oland did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

While he has not advocated for Alberta leaving Canada, Oland has spoken at events hosted by Alberta Prosperity Project, one of the leading separatist groups. Last September, Oland explained to one pro-independence group’s video channel the potential currency options for a breakaway Alberta nation.

Producer and writer

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