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Originally Posted by Daradon
The only thing worse (and more lame, for lack of a better word) than Quebec separatism, is Western separatism.
Yes these arguments are annoying, and having to contribute monetarily to them is almost insulting, but it's a very VERY small part of the provinces economic story. For some reason Westerners think Quebec is just this black hole where we through all of our money down. This is not true.
Besides all the other benefits of remaining part of the country, some quantifiable, some not, I'm curious to think why you'd think we'd be better off economically? Sure we boom, but we also bust. I think it's pretty short-sighted to think we'd be on easy street if we just left. That leaving would even solve any of the current 'problems' at all.
I would argue that even for the times we have to help out the East, being part of a larger economy is far more beneficial to us than the money we lose. You are also forgetting, that we are sometimes a recipient of equalization too. So it does go both ways.
Not to mention a country of 4-8 million (wherever you're drawing the lines) isn't nearly large enough to have a sustainable economic plan (barring some obvious outliers, which would not pertain to us). We'd be at the mercy of the markets even more so than Canada is now!
Lastly, I dunno why you'd say the West anyway? You think those in BC, especially Vancouver, would want to be part of that? Hah!
Like I said, short-sighted, and kinda lame. Really lame actually.
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It's pretty easy to understand that the concerns of some who would like more autonomy from Eastern Canada are very legitimate. Wikipedia sums it up pretty well:
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Alberta separatism arises from the belief held by some that Alberta is culturally distinct from the rest of Canada, particularly Central Canada and Eastern Canada, and from the belief that Alberta is harmed economically by federal policies that disadvantage Alberta. In the past, tariff walls to promote the growth of tractor production in Ontario increased the cost of tractors for Alberta. In the 1980s, the National Energy Policy was seen as disadvantaging Alberta's interests. In the recent oil boom based on oilsands, Alberta ceased to be a "have-not" province ceasing to be a recipient of equalization payments and instead provided financial support to other provinces through the federal transfer payment program. The Alberta economy had been traditionally based on ranching, and in the last years of the 20th century, been bolstered by considerable revenues from oil and gas production. Albertans have been hostile to concessions to Quebec sovereigntists. Alberta has developed a political culture that is more conservative, in both economic and social issues, than the rest of Canada.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_separatism
This is a sample of some of the grievances from the past, and as we see more money every year funneled to eastern provinces it only verifies that they see us very much like an ATM machine. So there's that.
Politically we are different as well, with different beliefs on just about everything from economic priorities to social issues (which should be all too obvious right now).
As for the population being too small for such a large country, the opposite is true, that in a resourced based economy a high population density just wouldn't work. Being a resource based economy is a good thing in the world of today, as energy and food will always be in demand. The last thing you would want in todays world is to be in manufacturing in North America, which is exactly Quebec and Ontario and why they are going deeper and deeper into debt.
There are other reasons too, such as unequal representation by population in parliament.
Anyways, western separation is an extreme view that took time to grow out of this ongoing situation. I don't think it will ever happen and it would be a sad day if Canada were to ever break up, but in the very least we need to be a little more aggressive with eastern provinces in addressing them.
Basically, all I would like to see is Alberta distance itself somehow from Quebec if they pass this legislation as it does not reflect our values in any way, shape or form in any respect.