Here's
one for Mark. I remember hearing much grumbling from western Canada 8-10 years ago, talk of secession, refederation, joining the US, etc. Is this a serious train of thought amongst western Canadians today? Does the current federal structure, Meach Lake et. al., allow for this?
1 comment:
Thanks Ren. I guess I should say something then.
First off, whenever you see the name "Byfield" along with anything about Alberta, alarm bells go off. Link Byfield is the son of Ted Byfield, one of the original and most strident Alberta-firsters. He was a publishing magnate who started a regionally-based right-wing magazine in Alberta about thirty years ago, and was one of the founding members of the Reform Party in the late 1980s (here's a more detailed bio from the Canadian Encyclopedia). So it's hardly new to hear this kinda thing from a Byfield.
It seems like there's always a separatist movement in Canada. The Nova Scotians had to be dragged into Confederation, and then almost voted to leave just a few years in. The British had to force Newfoundland into the country, including using a quite possibly rigged election. And of course there's Quebec. Alberta's problems with the federal government strangely coincide with the rise of its oil industry (and of course, the federal government's efforts during the oil crises to control that oil). Since they're now one of the two "have" provinces, Albertans occasionally feel that they can go it on their own based on oil revenues. Maybe they can, although we know how thin a reed oil can be to build an economy on. But aside from that, those "sentimental attachments" seem to be holding. Very little actual discussion of separation comes out of Alberta, and the Alberta separatist party usually polls in the single digits. So don't be looking for that Alberta embassy any time soon. But they'll keep voting Conservative, hoping to get a regional rebalancing of the country through things like an elected, equal, and effective Senate.
I'm not sure what you mean by the current federal structure allowing for separation (especially since Meech Lake's been dead for fifteen years now). But according to the Supreme Court, under the Constitution it is possible for a province to leave the country. Thanks to that decision, there's now legislation called the Clarity Act, which sets out the terms under which a province could do so (highlights: a clear popular answer through a referendum on a clear question). Obviously, this law is aimed at Quebec, but would apply to any other province, eg. Alberta. So once again, that actually happening is a pretty remote possibility.
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