People gather in support of Alberta becoming the 51st state during a rally at the Legislature in Edmonton, on May 3.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Just when you thought, phew, we‘ve elected a grown-up to deal with the threats coming from south of the border, up bubbles another voice to elevate Canada’s existential anxiety. This time the call is coming from inside the house. As Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith delivered a whopper of a speech.
She knows Albertans are frustrated, she said; they are tired of a “hostile” federal government. They have “doubts … about the future of Alberta in Canada.” And she addressed what she called the elephant in the room: separation. There could be a vote on it next year.
To be clear, she said, a separation referendum won’t come from her government. (Federalist hero!) However, if a citizen-led initiative wants a separation question, Ms. Smith would not stand in the way of democracy; oh no, not her. Not the Premier whose government, the day after the Liberal election win, introduced a bill that would make it easier for residents to trigger a provincial referendum. Not the Premier who, in that Monday speech, talked about Alberta being attacked and demonized by Ottawa and “Eastern politicians.”
So while the Prime Minister is trying to minimize any wounds from being stabbed in the underbelly, Canada is also taking a hit from the side.
Et tu, Danielle?
One way to view Ms. Smith’s tough talk is as a negotiating tactic. Alberta, as she said, wants a list of things from this new Liberal government: access to tidewater off all three coasts to export oil, gas and critical minerals; the repeal of existing laws on pipelines, tankers, caps on oil and gas emissions and “any federal law or regulation that purports to regulate industrial carbon emissions, plastics, or the commercial free speech of energy companies.” There‘s more, including a demand for changes to equalization payments.
A less kind analysis is that Ms. Smith is bending to the extremists. Even if she called the vast majority of those interested in separating “loyal Albertans” who are “not fringe voices to be marginalized or vilified,” one might beg to differ.
Watching the string of comments on the live feed while Ms. Smith’s speech was shared on YouTube, Canada was called a banana republic, a sinking ship. “We are at war with Ottawa!” wrote one person; another called for the “gallows” for Mark Carney. Ms. Smith, meanwhile, was praised as “the strongest woman in the world” (in all caps).
Fringe or not, these voices are growing, with tens of thousands of people registering online to call for a separation vote. On Saturday, hundreds rallied outside the Alberta legislature, in support of secession.
The other elephant in the room is Quebec. In 1995, tens of thousands of Canadians travelled to Montreal – many on school buses – to show Quebec their love and urge them to vote non in its second referendum on separation. Three days later, Quebeckers voted no, by a razor-thin margin.
The thought of going down that road again is exhausting.
This may seem preposterous, but on separation, there will be Albertans quoting Mr. Trump’s Tuesday comments on Canada becoming the 51st state: “Never say never.”
But please, Albertans, say never.
Canada is there for you, in good times and bad – with love and money. When Calgary and other communities flooded in 2013, Ottawa offered funding, military support and an immediate boots-on-the-ground visit by the prime minister (Stephen Harper, but still). When Jasper went up in flames last year, Ottawa again offered monetary, military and logistical support. Then last March, days after being sworn in as prime minister, Mr. Carney – who grew up in Edmonton – announced $187-million in additional funding to help Jasper rebuild.
Now the world is on fire, in no small part due to the grenades being lobbed willy-nilly by Mr. Trump. Albertans, do you really want to be part of that? Or have to deal with that on your own – a cognitively challenged President, who is on a deportation tear, wanting to reopen Alcatraz as an actual prison, and isn’t sure about upholding the constitution? Who took shots at Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland (unnamed) during his Oval Office meeting with Mr. Carney? (Actually, maybe disregard this point).
Do you really want to leave Canada, which believes in universal health care and due process? And cheered for your Edmonton Oilers to the bitter Game-Seven end last season?
Apologies (this is still Canada, after all) if this sounds harsh, but this is an emotional issue. Because, well, we love you. (And not just for your valuable natural resources.) Please don’t leave. We belong together.