Alberta should separate from Canada

[gerryh]

I don't agree with Alberta separating from Canada but why don't you try your hand at one of the points in the OP?

Let's actually have a discussion about this.

Discuss what? There is no real movement in Alberta to leave Canada. There is nothing to discuss.

 

[Cannuck]

Alberta should merge with BC to become British Columberta.

I prefer Albertumbia. Drop the British altogether. I'm surprised that hasn't happened already

 

[petros]

We don't want their dirty oil, their conservatism or their cowboy attitudes.

Without oil, where would you get your benzos?

 

[personal touch]

Quebec should seperate and join the USA,what do you think?I am sure you all have an opinion on this division,let's hear it!

 

[petros]

Why not? Lavage sounds better than enema.

 

[B00Mer]

Quebec should seperate and join the USA,what do you think?I am sure you all have an opinion on this division,let's hear it!

Quebec is a drain on the Canadian economy, why would the USA want it??

Quebec proves that not all is equal in Canada's equalization payment program | R

 

[petros]

Quebec is a drain on the Canadian economy, why would the USA want it??

Why wouldn't they?

 

[B00Mer]

Why wouldn't they?

Because it's a money pit.

 

[B00Mer]

Time for Alberta to collect 10 billion from Quebec..

oops who started this thread?

 

[Curious Cdn]

I prefer Albertumbia. Drop the British altogether. I'm surprised that hasn't happened already

Or you could drop the Columbia and call it Brita.

 

[Remington1]

Why leaving Canada makes sense for Alberta, and U.S. would likely welcome a new state

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Jen GersonWednesday, Mar. 18, 2015


Downtown Calgary Dec. 10, 2014. Geopolitics expert Peter Zeihan says Alberta would be better off joining the U.S. in his new book, which examines the future of America. Colleen De Neve / Postmedia News

U.S. forecaster Peter Zeihan, a former geopolitical analyst with the security firm Stratfor, has spent his career trying to predict the future of tumultuous states — recently, he’s turned his gaze to North America. Now, his latest book, The Accidental Superpower, takes a bleak look at the direction of the world in general. Among his speculations, the future of Alberta in Canada. He spoke to the Post‘s Jen Gerson.


Geopolitics expert Peter Zeihan. Handout

Q Tell me about your book as a whole?

A The global system as we understand it is highly artificial. The United States created it after the Second World War to fight the Cold War. We introduced this concept of free trade that allowed anyone we were friendly with to trade with anyone else we were friendly with — the U.S. guaranteed the security of the oceans, it would open its markets, it would patrol the Middle East and make sure energy could get to where it needed to go. Before, you had competing empires fighting for resources and markets. The American system expanded peace and prosperity throughout the world in a way the human race had never experienced before. But we did it to contain the Soviet Union. Since the Cold War ended, the U.S. has been withdrawing from that system.

Q Why?

A Two big things. The first is shale oil — the U.S. will be energy independent by the end of 2016. Shale is severing the strongest link between us in North America and the rest of the world. The Middle East is becoming someone else’s problem.

The second piece is demographics. The percentage of Americans who are baby boomers is smaller than the equivalent cohort elsewhere. Every other country (except New Zealand) has a much larger population hitting mass retirement, and you’ve got all the financial problems that come with that.

Q Amid this interesting geopolitical shift, you devote a chapter to Alberta’s possible secession.

A Canada’s demographic situation is similar to the rest of the developed world — a large population moving toward retirement and hardly any young people in the replacement generation coming up.

However, Alberta does not fit that mould. It is the youngest province, and is becoming younger, better paid and more highly skilled as the rest of Canada becomes older and less skilled, and a ward of the state financially.

The other piece is, of course, energy. British Columbia has been hostile to Alberta’s efforts to diversity oil exports and the Atlantic is more than 2,000 miles away.

But really, it comes down to demographics. Right now, every man, woman and child in Alberta pay $6,000 more into the national budget than they get back. Alberta is the only province that is a net contributor to that budget — by 2020, the number will exceed $20,000 per person, $40,000 per taxpayer. That will be the greatest wealth transfer in per capita terms in the Western world. The only other place we see things like that is in Saudi Arabia, where the oil-producing regions subsidize the rest of the country.


Pumpjacks at work pumping crude oil near Halkirk, Alta., June 20, 2007. File photo

Secession has been a dirty political word in Alberta for several years, with politicians rumoured to be secret secessionists. That talk died down when the Harper Conservatives were elected — when a group of people who came out of the Alberta mould assumed power.

Why leaving Canada makes sense for Alberta, and U.S. would likely welcome a new state

I don't believe that Albertan's would like to be American. There is a definite privilege to be part of Canada, and anybody who does not realize this is misguided.

 

[bill barilko]

I'd be Glad to see the back of those ignorant meatheads and I wouldn't be the only one.

 

[Ludlow]

bill barilko should be separated from humanity.

 

[pgs]

I don't believe that Albertan's would like to be American. There is a definite privilege to be part of Canada, and anybody who does not realize this is misguided.

Do you have many friends from Quebec ?

 

[Ron in Regina]

Why leaving Canada makes sense for Alberta, and U.S. would likely welcome a new state.......

Oh whatever. A Troll thread started by a dude in Ontario with
a hate-on for Alberta and things that come from Alberta.

Harper was born in Ontario, but grew up in Alberta? Then he
must be the Anti-Christ!! Oil comes from Alberta? Then He
must create anti-oil & anti-Alberta threads daily....for years!!
Oh for crying out loud already. We get it. You hate Alberta.

 

[damngrumpy]

Quebec, Northern Ontario and Alberta whining babies as soon as a little group
can't have their own way or there is no instant solution its time to cut and run.
Well not really most of the in those three areas are not listening to the nonsense
in the first place.
As for Alberta they are mad at the wrong people. Alberta thought the gravy train
would roll on forever and they became dependent on one major source of revenue.
Both have had a conservative and and NDP government
Saskatchewan has had both the NDP and conservatives and that problems did not
depend on oil alone and even the current government a conservative one at that
has done a credible job under difficult circumstances. In Alberta the old government
neglected the interests of the province for the interests of oil and they are paying the
price

 

[personal touch]

Why leaving Canada makes sense for Alberta, and U.S. would likely welcome a new state

Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Email

Jen GersonWednesday, Mar. 18, 2015


Downtown Calgary Dec. 10, 2014. Geopolitics expert Peter Zeihan says Alberta would be better off joining the U.S. in his new book, which examines the future of America. Colleen De Neve / Postmedia News

U.S. forecaster Peter Zeihan, a former geopolitical analyst with the security firm Stratfor, has spent his career trying to predict the future of tumultuous states — recently, he’s turned his gaze to North America. Now, his latest book, The Accidental Superpower, takes a bleak look at the direction of the world in general. Among his speculations, the future of Alberta in Canada. He spoke to the Post‘s Jen Gerson.


Geopolitics expert Peter Zeihan. Handout

Q Tell me about your book as a whole?

A The global system as we understand it is highly artificial. The United States created it after the Second World War to fight the Cold War. We introduced this concept of free trade that allowed anyone we were friendly with to trade with anyone else we were friendly with — the U.S. guaranteed the security of the oceans, it would open its markets, it would patrol the Middle East and make sure energy could get to where it needed to go. Before, you had competing empires fighting for resources and markets. The American system expanded peace and prosperity throughout the world in a way the human race had never experienced before. But we did it to contain the Soviet Union. Since the Cold War ended, the U.S. has been withdrawing from that system.

Q Why?

A Two big things. The first is shale oil — the U.S. will be energy independent by the end of 2016. Shale is severing the strongest link between us in North America and the rest of the world. The Middle East is becoming someone else’s problem.

The second piece is demographics. The percentage of Americans who are baby boomers is smaller than the equivalent cohort elsewhere. Every other country (except New Zealand) has a much larger population hitting mass retirement, and you’ve got all the financial problems that come with that.

Q Amid this interesting geopolitical shift, you devote a chapter to Alberta’s possible secession.

A Canada’s demographic situation is similar to the rest of the developed world — a large population moving toward retirement and hardly any young people in the replacement generation coming up.

However, Alberta does not fit that mould. It is the youngest province, and is becoming younger, better paid and more highly skilled as the rest of Canada becomes older and less skilled, and a ward of the state financially.

The other piece is, of course, energy. British Columbia has been hostile to Alberta’s efforts to diversity oil exports and the Atlantic is more than 2,000 miles away.

But really, it comes down to demographics. Right now, every man, woman and child in Alberta pay $6,000 more into the national budget than they get back. Alberta is the only province that is a net contributor to that budget — by 2020, the number will exceed $20,000 per person, $40,000 per taxpayer. That will be the greatest wealth transfer in per capita terms in the Western world. The only other place we see things like that is in Saudi Arabia, where the oil-producing regions subsidize the rest of the country.


Pumpjacks at work pumping crude oil near Halkirk, Alta., June 20, 2007. File photo

Secession has been a dirty political word in Alberta for several years, with politicians rumoured to be secret secessionists. That talk died down when the Harper Conservatives were elected — when a group of people who came out of the Alberta mould assumed power.

Why leaving Canada makes sense for Alberta, and U.S. would likely welcome a new state

I am still laughing,"agitater" you are,I like it,

That's what the Americans said about Iraq seems there still fighting the war

No,it is what the soliders were led to believe,in the meantime,managers had different strategies,they knew it was long term war,their only job was to convince Americans otherwise.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Albertans have seen this song and dance before and rejected it every time.