Alberta feelings of separatism a reality ( canada)

Calgarysun.com ^ | Tuesday, October 1, 2002 | LICIA CORBELLA, EDITOR

[watcher1]

Alberta feelings of separatism a reality

By LICIA CORBELLA, EDITOR

On Friday, Progressive Conservative Leader Joe Clark and I spent much of our enjoyable two-hour lunch talking about the growing separatist sentiment in Alberta.

A couple of days later, Premier Ralph Klein spoke about it too and it made front page headlines.

On my drive into work yesterday, it was the main topic on the Dave Rutherford show and by the time I tuned out, the calls were 17-to-one in favour of Alberta separating from Canada.

About one week ago, someone asked my husband, while attending a party, "give me one good reason why Alberta shouldn't separate."

Other than comments about love of country, my husband really didn't have anything particularly compelling to say.

Klein was quoted as saying: "The Clarity Act (on separation) applies to all provinces, not just to Quebec. It sets out a formula for leaving the country. Alberta is not looking at that at this time, but ... there's been some talk. I get lots of cards and letters. So I say to Ottawa, just don't push us. Be fair. ..."

Naturally, the eastern media jumped all over this and mistakenly interpreted Klein's comments as a threat. Sheesh.

It's not a threat, folks, it's a fact.

Klein isn't saying he or the government of Alberta holds these views, but that a growing number of Albertans do.

As editor of this paper, I get a lot of mail from a wide cross-section of people, just like Klein.

I can confirm what Klein says.

The sentiment for separation is growing and will grow exponentially as the effects of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol start to be felt in Alberta.

Yesterday, even as the Speech from the Throne droned on, and Ralph Klein clarified his comments about separation, John Carpay, the provincial director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation -- who is also not a separatist -- admitted that "the only reasons for remaining part of Canada are emotional, not economic.

"I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that it's in Alberta's best economic interest to stay in Canada," he said.

So, my husband's response is right. It's emotional. Albertans are patriotic Canadians.

Many of the young soldiers Adrienne Clarkson referred to in her 35-minute speech yesterday -- the ones who died and were buried over in Europe and Asia fighting for freedom -- came from Alberta. Many of the ones who survived are still here. But they are growing fewer and frailer.

Most Albertans still get a lump in their throats when our national anthem plays and our flag flaps at the end of some driveway on the bald prairie.

But if emotion is all that keeps us in Canada, you'd think the federal government would start to pay attention to those emotions.

But no. Westerners are utterly ignored. Even yesterday, the neglect continued. No mention was made in the speech about western farmers or the softwood lumber industry.

Did Prime Minister Jean Chretien appoint Alberta's elected senators in waiting each time an Alberta senate seat has come available? No, though it's such a small gesture.

The feds promised consultation and an implementation plan BEFORE deciding on whether to ratify Kyoto. Has that happened?

No. In fact, Chretien didn't even tell his own cabinet ministers the truth about Kyoto. He tried to hide the government's own frightening figures about the impact Kyoto will have on Canada, including the loss of 200,000 jobs, higher taxes and a $16 billion hit to the economy.

With the exception of the G-8 summit held in Kananaskis, the only times Chretien visits Alberta is for fundraising dinners.

He's not the Prime Minister of Canada. He's the Prime Minister of Ontario and Quebec.

Unless there is systemic change to our democracy so that Alberta matters in terms of representation, that neglect won't change.

For instance, all western provinces get six senate seats each. Alberta has a population of three million. Nova Scotia, with a population of 940,000, about the population of Calgary, has 10 senate seats. That's just plain wrong.

Canada costs each Alberta family about $6,000 a year. So Klein is right.

If the emotional abuse continues, separation is inevitable. Again, it's not a threat, it's reality.

[watcher1]

Canada costs each Alberta family about $6,000 a year. So Klein is right.

Can you blame some of them for wanting to leave?

[mhking]

We'll take you! C'mon! I got no problem with Alberta as the 51st state!

[The Other Harry]

For instance, all western provinces get six senate seats each. Alberta has a population of three million. Nova Scotia, with a population of 940,000, about the population of Calgary, has 10 senate seats.

If someone can explain how Canada allocates its senate seats, I be curious to hear.

[uglybiker]

Better make room for more stars on that flag. If Alberta goes, most likely all the other western provinces will go, too.

[section9]

I've wondered about the Canadian Far West.

Seperation is a possibility, especially if the Federal Government continues to ignore the Canadian West. Ottowa's attitude simply could not happen down here. Senators have real power. California has the largest congressional delegation. Presidents need the electoral votes from out there.

Yet in Canada, the West can be ignored. Its misgivings about the Kyoto enterprise can be set aside by Ottowa.

So, I wonder what would happen if seperation occured. Would Alberta's citizens vote to join the Union? Would other Western Provinces follow suit? How would Canadian political parties be represented in alliances with our own Democrats and Republicans?

Well, okay, it could happen. Let us suppose that Ottowa's authority was rejected. Alberta decides that given the fact that Alberta is covered by U.S. NORTHCOM and that integration with the American currency system would be helpful, she petitions to join the Union. Congress says "okay". Let us leave aside the other provinces, (the Yukon, BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) joining, for now, and concentrate on Alberta. What happens politically. Well, nominally, I have to assume that the Alliance Party and the remnants of the PC's align with the Republicans. However, over time, Canada's preoccupation with cradle to grave government strengthens the Liberals in that province. Initially, two Alliance senators would go to Washington, I suspect, while the Republican Party would start looking for a Vice President out of that province to help integrate Alberta into the system.

Again, this is all speculation at this point. Sounds nice, if you're an American, but at this point in time, I strongly believe that most Albertans are still secure in their Canadian nationality.

For now. Omigod. I just thought of the possibility of Joe Clarke having a national role in U.S. politics. Somebody tell me where the liquor cabinet is....

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[SamAdams76]

I have long forseen a "domino" effect of defecting Canadian provinces. Once one goes, several will follow shortly thereafter. They would be welcome to join the United States of course, but that would be up to them. Personally I would like to see that happen. Most Canadians would make great Americans.

[petuniasevan]

PING!

[shrinkermd]

"He's not the Prime Minister of Canada. He's the Prime Minister of Ontario and Quebec. Unless there is systemic change to our democracy so that Alberta matters in terms of representation, that neglect won't change."

These beliefs constitute the problem. If not changed these attitudes will destroy the country. The Kyoto Treaty is a Liberal joke designed to pander to the ecological religion and socialist and egalitarian ethic which decrees the Canadians, like Americans, are too rich.

[Alberta's Child]

My understanding is that Senate seats were allocated according to the agreements that were in place with each province as they became part of Canada. Nova Scotia's ten seats in parliament date back to a time when that province was larger than any province west of Ontario.

The process of confederation was a bit more messy than the process of the 13 colonies ratifying the U.S. Constitution. It would be comparable to a situation in which Virginia agreed to ratify the Constitution only on the condition that they would always be guaranteed one more Senator than any other state.

[Alberta's Child]

Interestingly, you would probably also find that most Albertans aren't terribly interested in becoming part of the U.S., either.

This is not such a bad thing. As I tell folks every time I'm up there -- Ottawa may seem bad, but Washington ain't no picnic either. If anything, the most likely scenario would involve the creation of a semi-autonomous "mini-state" in western Canada that maintained close economic ties to the U.S. but used their own monetary system.

For what it's worth, if Alberta became the 51st state it would be out of business tomorrow. What keeps that place going is the lopsided strength of the U.S. dollar vs. the Canadian dollar -- Oil is now trading at $45+ in Canadian dollars, which means those pipelines from the oil sands region around Fort McMurray are running at capacity right now. If Alberta were to adopt the U.S. dollar, their exports to the lower 48 states would diminish substantially.

[Alberta's Child]

See #10. I can't see Alberta joining the U.S. any time soon.

[Alberta's Child]

Thanks for the ping. John Carpay of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation is an acquaintance of mine -- I sometimes run into him on my trips to Alberta.

[CanadianFella]

We'll take you! C'mon! I got no problem with Alberta as the 51st state!

I'm in Quebec and will be leaving for Alberta at the first sign of separation. But it would make a much better state as a separate country instead of joining the American Union, simply because the US Federal govt is just as infected with porky spending and special interests as Canada's.

In a smaller state it is harder for special interests to spread the costs of their demands (i.e. farm subsidies) among taxpayers. The cost of huge tariffs will be felt much stronger in a govt of 3-6 million as opposed to close to 300 million.

That's really the only reason for resisting joining the US. If y'all returned to the pre-New-Deal fiscal ethics, I would gladly support joining you.

[mhking]

Interestingly, you would probably also find that most Albertans aren't terribly interested in becoming part of the U.S., either.

Wishful thinking on my part, perhaps. I dunno, maybe we'd get to watch more Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders games on television (at least we get one CFL game a week thanks to FSN World & FSN Digital).

Actually, I think we'd do well to have Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC & the Yukon as part of the Union. I'm sure if provinces started ceceding from the Dominion that they'd fall apart pretty fast though (especially if Quebec seceeded - I'm sure they'd wanna become their own country though).

[mhking]

Fiscally, Alberta would be in a world of hurt as a separate nation - quiet as it's kept, they'd probably almost be forced to join the Union simply to keep from going bankrupt. Although their biggest state product is oil (provided the tree-huggers didn't go ape-$#it), I'm sure the farm revenues would begin to inch upward under US statehood.

[norton]

Would the western Canadian states be willing to incorporate the refugees from the US southwest when that exodus becomes necessary?

[Jake0001]

Maybe they "forgot" to put in a reapportionment procedure into their constitution?

The numbers were probably appropriate 100 years ago.

[The Other Harry]

My understanding is that Senate seats were allocated according to the agreements that were in place with each province as they became part of Canada. Nova Scotia's ten seats in parliament date back to a time when that province was larger than any province west of Ontario...

Thank you for the reply.

It makes sense, but it sounds like a very badly designed system. If I lived in Alberta, I wouldn't be a happy camper these days. I'd be talking with my neighbors about forming an independant Western Canada.

[Sunsong]

I support Alberta and hope that they do separate.

[Siobhan]

An independent Republic of Alberta has enormous appeal. I can imagine many North Americans being drawn to live in an independent Republic of Alberta.