Alberta Separation??? Not A Chance!!!

By Richard Dowson Opinion/Commentary

My perspective is based on personal experience, having lived and worked in Taber, across Southern Alberta and in the St. Paul – Cold Lake region of Alberta for most of my adult life.

I think the folks involved in the Alberta Separatist Movement are well meaning people, following their beliefs. The problem – their idea of separation has not been thought through.

Nice to run about wearing an “Alberta Republic” ball cap, but that is not enough. Separatists need a proper end goal and people with similar goals. From what I see, that is not the case. The values and ethnicity of people in the Vilna – St. Paul – Bonnyville and Cold Lake area is very different from the people of Taber and Southern Alberta. Even the history of the Aboriginal people of the north differs from the history of the Aboriginal people of Southwestern Alberta.

Here’s one aspect of the proud heritage of people in Northeastern Alberta. They are predominantly Catholic. The people of the south, on the other hand – Taber and area, are non-Catholic with varied religious beliefs.

Today, Separatists in the north and south are ‘together’ in their quest for separation. Mitch Selvestre, CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project is a resident of Bonnyville. But will that unity last? Probably not. The basic ethnic beliefs are too different.  

Here’s just two examples for consideration:

1 Indian Reserves in Alberta are based on Treaties signed, for the most part, with Queen Victoria, before the influx of ‘settlers.’ The Alberta Treaties are now with the Federal Government. The Blood Indian Reserve No. 148 (the Kainai Nation), the largest in Canada, covers 1,413.87 km² (545.90 sq mi) in Southwestern Alberta. They will not be part of the Republic of Alberta. Same elsewhere.

2 Parts of Northeast Alberta and the Peace River Region have large, ancestral French populations. In some cases,services are provided in French under the CanadianCharter of Rights. Will, for example, the people of the Republic of Alberta support French language services and schools? I don’t think so, even though the CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project lives in Bonnyville, a large ancestral French community.

If the people of Alberta want to have a LOUD voice in Ottawa, consider a ‘Western Federal Party’ where members will sit in the House of Commons and, through coalitions, adjust the balance of power to their advantage.

Just like the Bloc Quebecois does today.

And if Separatists want to know how to do it – give former Deputy-Leader of the Reform Party, Deb Grey a call. She knows the ropes.

And yes, I was a good friend of Deborah Grey’s when she was the MP for the St. Paul, Cold Lake region of Alberta and I was a Reform Party member.

Writer Richard Dowson is a retired educator.

He is known for his frequenting local coffee shops and other places seniors gather.

In a previous life he wrote comedy for CHED in Edmonton.

His views may or may not reflect the views of this publication.