Alberta is also often treated as the enemy of Canada by the federal government. Martin's fear mongering wrt Klein's health plans in the last election being the most recent example.
The complete political impotence we have at the federal level is also a major sore spot. While the maritimes often got screwed - Newfoundland in particular - they are also ridiculously overrepresented in the House of Commons, so much so that three provinces - Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick have virtually as many seats as Alberta does, despite having barely half the population. As a result, it is much easier to win seats in Atlantic Canada, and that is why Martin played up his deal with Newfoundland and Nova Scotia - a Conservative promise that Martin only kept because he was stuck in a minority situation and needed to gain favor badly.
Alberta's, and to a lesser extent BC's, concerns often get ignored or overlooked because as far as the makeup of the house of Commons is concerned, we are the two least important provinces. Thus the strong desire for the EEE senate.
Trudeau and Lougheed practically went to war during their tenures, as the Alberta Premier fought to protect provincial rights from an arrogant jackass who thought he could govern Alberta better from Ottawa. Trudeau was a staunch centralist who's ideals ran counter to the ideals of Albertans from day one. The NEP was the straw that broke the camels back. No Liberal has been elected in Calgary since.
I don't recal Mulrooney's relationship with Alberta much. He did appoint our first elected Senator in Stan Waters, but I recall Mulrooney wasnt high on the idea, and when Watters died, he went back to appointing whom he wanted.
Chretien always played up to Quebec and Ontario, while ignoring Alberta, and his comments before the 2001 election stating he didnt like working with Albertans didnt earn him any friends. Martin came in promising to end the democratic deficit, and at ending western alienation, but has only made a complete mockery of both promises, as both Liberal PMs have consistantly refused to appoint our elected senators, and in Martin's case, appointed closet liberals to represent a conservative province. His special deals for Ontario, which now see Alberta pay twice as much per capita in tranfer payments than the centre of the universe arent helping either.
As far as Quebec goes, I think the seperatist agenda has done more harm to that province than it has helped. Montreal is rapidly declining as a major power centre in Canada, having long since been passed by Toronto, and both Calgary and Vancouver are either right behind or already ahead of Montreal in terms of importance. A lot of the angst is propaganda only, as many Quebeccers have convinced themselves that they get screwed by Ottawa when in reality a hell of a lot more federal dollars flow into Quebec than come out. The culture difference is obviously another factor.
Of course, the true seperatist segment is a lot smaller than most people realize. IIRC, a pretty healthy majority of Quebeccers who favor sovereignty actually think the concept means staying a part of Canada, but gaining special rights and powers.
My answer to those people is: Get the hell out of my country. IMNSHO, no province deserves special treatment, rights or priveledges. I am completely in favor of the provinces gaining more power overall, and the decentralization of our federal government, but as far as seperatist sentiment goes, you are either a province of Canada with the same rights as everyone else, or you are completely independent. No middle ground.
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