Quote:
Originally Posted by flamesfever
Thank you for your thoughts. I do believe that Alberta could go it alone with regard to having their own APP, providing certain safeguards and oversights were in place. However, I agree that it may come with increased risk.
I have long held the opinion that we should become more independent from Ottawa. I only wish we had someone like a Lougheed to lead the charge. It seems to me that Smith may be getting poor advise, e.g. her Tell the Feds campaign against Ottawa's Clean Energy Regulation, and her use of the Sovereignty Act.
Anyway, as I see it, the debate for an APP is only just beginning. I don't think there is any way Smith is going to be able to ram through an APP without getting a strong mandate by way of a referendum. And even if it ever happened, there would have to be very strong safeguards from government interference and an effective oversight.
Even if the whole APP thing died down, at least the exercise may make the rest of Canada realize how important Alberta is to the rest of the Country.
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I posted about this when the idea first got floated that some people just sort of dismiss it from actually happening but say it’s great because it can be used to get attention and win in negotiations. First of all, the separatist/isolationist part of the party is completely thrilled to have your support under that false premise. They don’t care how you rationalize your support, but make no mistake these people are serious about this.
Second, even if that were a strategy it is a massive blunder. It will serve to distract from good governance in Alberta, as they focus on this. It will further divide the province. It will creat uncertainties for business, and as the UCP likes to remind about the royalty review, uncertainty is bad. It will either be ignored by the rest of Canada, or it will distract from other more important national issues that we should be solving while we talk about one of the things that is actually, finally pretty well managed.
There is no upside to focusing on this.