Dear Editor,
It is abundantly clear that Albertans currently have little to no say about “equalization”, “transfer payments”, “pipeline progress” and “carbon taxes”. Why?
The Canadian federal government which is controlled by voters in south-central Canada possesses the power in the constitution to do those things.
If you want any or all of those things to change, then Albertans need options that do not include the Canadian federal government or Canada for that matter.
Is this too harsh? It would be if there wasn’t already a long history of failed ‘reform’ movements.
Also, to change the Canadian constitution still requires the agreement of most, if not all, of the provinces of Canada.
Remember ‘Meech Lake’, and that’s if the other provinces even want to go through that again.
We don’t even want to go through that distinct non-sense again.
So what are Albertans to do?
Are we going to continue to pay more than our fair share, through equalization and transfer payments, while waiting for federal government permission to maintain our standard of living?
When our Alberta premier, whoever it is, negotiates with Canada, are they ‘Canadian’ first or ‘Albertan’ first? And if our premier is Canadian first, which every Alberta premier, including Lougheed, Klein, and Notley, has been then is not that ‘negotiation’ merely a ‘capitulation’ (surrender)?
Of course, it is because Canada knows that we Albertans are not considering any other options. And until we Albertans do so, Canada will have its way with us.
We have options when we buy a house or look for a job.
Certainly, you look at more than one house before you buy.
Any good negotiator will tell you that there is no negotiation unless each party has options, otherwise, there is nothing to negotiate. There is only surrender.
You might loudly protest but you will still comply because you ‘know of no other options’. And that is just what every Alberta premier has done.
So the first step in any negotiation is to know our options.
Here are eight options for Albertans to ponder:
1.) Stay within Canada.
2.) Form a new nation with British Columbia.
3.) Join the United States of America.
4.) Form a new nation with Saskatchewan.
5.) Form a new nation with British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
6.) Form a new nation British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
7.) Open negotiations simultaneously with all parties.
8.) Form an independent Albertan nation.
Corinne & Jay Bortnik, Albertans
Hanna, Alberta
