This article is extremely lazy which almost makes it more alarming. It's a thinly veiled threat that activities that aren't currently illegal ought to be, and they ought to be treated as seriously as the crime of treason. In case you have forgotten, the military could execute someone for treason up until 1999, whereas capital punishment for civilians was abolished in 1976.

The "crimes" discussed in the article are:

• separatists meeting with US political operatives to discuss possible future agreements/arrangements should independence be achieved
• the involvement of US political operatives in the pro-separation campaigns within canada

The author says:

For Canadian separatists, they are free to express views outside the mainstream—an Albertan has the right to argue that Canada should be dismembered. They can argue that their territory would be better off joining the US. They are even free to generate enthusiasm among foreign powers abroad for their project. They are not, however, free to solicit support for their campaigns here at home.

Except that they are. To meet the bar of Political Interference for a Foreign Entity, the conduct would have to be

surreptitious or deceptive conduct with the intent to influence a political or governmental process, educational governance, the performance of a duty in relation to such a process or such governance or the exercise of a democratic right in Canada.

It's not enough to work with, or for, a foreign government to influence the outcome of an election, they must do so surreptitiously or deceptively.

If Canadians are now actively soliciting foreign involvement in a debate about the future of the country, that is an extremely disturbing new turn. It crosses a bright red line as a betrayal of our democracy.

It feels like the author hasn't read the federal government's own page on foreign influence:

Foreign influence can take many forms. It may involve advocacy, communications, or engagement with public office holders. In many cases, such activities are legitimate, lawful, and transparent, and are a part of normal international relations.

When citizens of other countries reach out to Canada, the UN to support their quest for independence, it is seen as our duty to assist them. But when canadians do the same, it's treason. Because... reasons?