Alberta alienation and independence

[GullFoss]

Just wanted to get an idea of your thoughts on Alberta alienation and independence.

Are you frustrated with the federal ineptitude of files important to Alberta?

Would you vote a provincial party that ramps up the rhetoric on Alberta Independence through and after the election next year?

Would you be in favor of holding a peblicite on Alberta separation?

Do you feel aggrieved as an Albertan?

What would it take for this topic to become top of mind for you?

[White Out 403]

*sigh*

[_Q_]

I don't know if I'm ok with Alberta separating, however, I'm 100% OK with starting to threaten it.

[PsYcNeT]

National identity is dumb.

Provincial identity is even dumber.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Because surely it would be easier to negotiate oil pipelines with a foreign government on all sides instead

[CaptainCrunch]

I'd use the idea as leverage if possible. I don't want to see the country broken up, even though I was in my younger days a guy who wanted someone to say to Quebec, F you leave if that's what you want.


The bottom line is that to me, the current situation doesn't work well. We have provinces bashing through the constitutional powers of the country anyways. Re-open the constitution and renegotiate Confederation based on this day and age and reduce the Federal Powers since they're unwilling to re-enforce them anyways.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Because surely it would be easier to negotiate oil pipelines with a foreign government on all sides instead

Its literally no different then what we have happening now.

[nik-]

I feel pretty alienated as an Albertan. It's clear there's a significant portion of the country that has no interest in seeing us do well and they apparently have enough political clout to cause, at minimum, inaction from the federal government. It's not a majority, but it's apparently enough to matter.

Separation would make it worse.

[GGG]

Your choice has to be Canada or the US.

Economically we would be better off being in the US. Socially maybe not however their states have sufficient powers that you could likely maintain all the same services. Emotionally I don't think you could sell it.

[nik-]

Oh, yeah, if we joined the US I'd leave Alberta.

[troutman]

Why stop there? I don't trust the Northern Albertans either.

City-States.

[Ozy_Flame]

If Alberta decided to separate, I'd move to Canada. What a remarkable bone-headed thing to do as a landlocked jurisdiction who relies on commodities and transport of said commodities.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by troutman

why stop there? I don't trust the northern albertans either.

City-states.

e=ng

[stang]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Because surely it would be easier to negotiate oil pipelines with a foreign government on all sides instead

This doesn't make any sense. We would be selling oil to Canada. It's different. Once we get it to them who care how they disperse it.

[Regorium]

I definitely feel alienated, but the feelings are nowhere near strong enough to even consider the thought of independence.

[worth]

No.

[Erick Estrada]

Problem with joining the USA is that the moment we became US citizens a good chunk of people would move to southern states. I know I would. If it ever got to the point of a large movement I would probably support it. I don't see a bright future for Canada as a whole.

[PepsiFree]

Canada will be just fine, and I’m sure Alberta will be as well. There is a transition period ahead (where new industries grow or our natural resource industry regains some balance) which might spell a different outlook on Alberta’s role as a leading province, but overall I think the outlook is still very good. We are still Canadian, and the benefits of that are extremely high.

Looking at Canada against the world, I don’t see a unique element in our situation that would spell near disaster for our country. Progression is not always linear, and I think ‘the reports of our death are greatly exaggerated’ and come naturally from the fear that things are in a period of change, and the future isn’t entirely clear.

As for the main question. Sure, being Albertans feels a little alienated, but when you’re not Ontario you’re bound to feel that way at some point or another. Should talk about desperation? No, absolutely not, that would be a huge loss for Alberta, no matter how it shakes out. We have no good reason to separate other than spite for not getting the treatment we want, there is no benefit to us.

[troutman]

We just have to start having more babies - lots more babies!

[blankall]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

National identity is dumb.

Provincial identity is even dumber.

I agree, which is why the citizens of each province need to consider what's best for them. What's best for them might include separation.