"The west wants out": Separatist sentiments growing in Alberta

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
192
63
Nakusp, BC
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
192
63
Nakusp, BC
.... and you vote Liberal for all the Free Taxpayer funded welfare shit you can scam
I never voted liberal in my life.

And BC doesn't want to separate.Why would we join Alberta and be bullied into take your phuking pipelines?
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,336
113
Vancouver Island
I never voted liberal in my life.
And BC doesn't want to separate.Why would we join Alberta and be bullied into take your phuking pipelines?
You do not speak for BC. You were not even born here.
There are many in BC that are looking at alternatives, some good some not so good. The Cascadiia ( Pacifica) idea has merit but Washington and Oregon are now so infested with leftys that it would just become a giant Greece.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,833
7,780
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
From: http://globalnews.ca/news/5952458/preston-manning-alberta-separatism-western-alienation/

Former Reform Party leader Preston Manning issued a dire warning for politicians at a luncheon in Calgary Wednesday afternoon. Western separatist sentiment is on the rise, particularly in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Manning told the crowd at the Canadian Club of Calgary. He said that political leaders who ignore such populist movements do so at their own peril.

“The problems with the energy sector and the inability to get resources to tidewater and world markets are all fuelling Western alienation.”

That pervasive alienation could leave the country even more divided after the federal election, according to Manning, if politicians don’t recognize the validity of people’s concerns. The retired politician said that will be the challenge for the next Parliament and whoever ends up winning the October election.

Manning added that he believes the possibility of a revival of the separatist movement in Quebec should not be ignored either. He said that could lead to further regional alienation and division in Canada.

Manning himself rode a populist wave into power in the 1980s, founding the Reform Party of Canada and going on to become leader of the Opposition.

The party grew out of voter dissatisfaction with Ottawa, and the perceived lack of attention that was being paid to the west. Western Canadians are still dissatisfied with the federal government — perhaps more than the 1980s, according to a series of polls done earlier this year by the Vancouver-based Angus Reid Institute that looked at the West’s place in Confederation.

Angus Reid reported that nearly three out of four Canadians who live west of Ontario don’t feel the feds treat their province fairly, and that the feeling has grown worse in recent years.

Another Angus Reid Institute poll found that, had another prospective “Western Canada Party” ran in the federal election, it would have had a stronger chance at drawing votes in every western province save for Manitoba — although the margin wasn’t very wide in one place.

As part of the poll, Angus Reid asked survey respondents in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia to consider a hypothetical “Western Canada Party” that would push for the west’s interests within Confederation.

Support varied by province — the strongest for a Western Canada Party was found in Alberta, where it drew the backing of 40 per cent of respondents, compared to 36 per cent for the Conservatives.

Those results came in the same poll that showed an increasing number of Western Canadians saying that anger at Ottawa is growing over the past 27 years. The poll asked respondents, “Based on what you have seen, heard or read, do you feel that the number of western Canadians who are angry about Ottawa’s treatment of the West is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same?” The pollster asked this question in 1991 and in 2018.

The feeling increased in every western province save for Manitoba in that time.

And it was most pronounced in Alberta — in 1991, 63 per cent of respondents there said it was increasing. In 2018, it was 86 per cent.

Saskatchewanians felt similarly — the share of people who felt this way grew from 66 per cent in 1991 to 81 per cent in 2018.

Shachi Kurl, executive director at the Angus Reid Institute, said Western Canadian provinces have been raising awareness of the weight they lift economically, and “all of this feeds into a sense that the rest of the country, particularly Ottawa, is not checked into what is happening, and what’s important to western Canadians.”

 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,833
7,780
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
From: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/can...8-divisive-politics-election-result-1.5327423 (By Vassy Kapelos, host of Power & Politics)

I have an embarrassing confession to make.


My first reporting job was in Swift Current, Sask. I was relieved and excited to get the job, but I had a slight problem. I had no idea where in Saskatchewan Speedy Creek, as it's affectionately known, was (it's about two hours southwest of Regina, FYI).

The reason I didn't know: I grew up, like so many do, in Toronto, a.k.a. the centre of the universe, insulated from everything but my own ignorance. If I had thought of Alberta and Saskatchewan while growing up for a combined total of more than 10 minutes, it would have been a miracle of sorts.

So spending the first five years of my career in those provinces, I hope, saved me from my own ignorance. It also fundamentally changed the way I look at our country.

While here in the central part of the country it's almost normal for people to scoff, or even roll their eyes, every time someone brings up separatism out West, it's not that simple. Is the concept of separating illogical, maybe even too dramatic? Sure. But it's anchored in a very real sense of being disconnected from the centre of federal power and political will.

That has been very evident in this campaign. When the leaders did stop in Alberta (as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau did last night), they did so sparingly, and in the case of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, not at all.

Yes, I know that's a function of the fact the Conservatives, according to CBC's Poll Tracker, are set to capture 60 per cent of the popular vote in the province. But people who don't live and breathe politics don't think of it that way — they just see that nobody is showing much interest in them.

That's not entirely true. There is a lot of interest in fossil fuels — whether they should be phased out and how fast that should happen, as well as much debate about whether the TMX pipeline should go ahead. I'm not here to get into the merits of any of that and I completely get the impetus to go all out to reduce emissions, but suffice it to say, those questions have pitted large swaths of progressive politicians against the livelihoods of a lot of Albertans.

Then you hop a bunch of provinces to the east and another wild situation awaits us. The remarkable re-emergence of the Bloc in Quebec could leave the province in a scenario few would have imagined even six weeks ago, with the majority of seats going to the BQ.

That has been very evident in this campaign. When the leaders did stop in Alberta (as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau did last night), they did so sparingly, and in the case of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, not at all.

If Alberta is the fly-over zone of this election, Quebec is anything but. Yes, I know it's because every party is fighting for their lives in that province. But in an effort to do so, and to counter the Bloc, messaging from every. single. party. has focused on addressing nationalist sentiment and interests.
Jurisdiction over immigration, autonomy over culture, masters of their institutions, a veto over pipelines, opting out of universal pharmacare — the list of promises from federal leaders to Quebecers is long. Who could forget also that every leader quickly agreed to Premier Francois Legault's demand not to intervene legally in challenges against his province's secularism law.

I'm not naive. I understand that electoral math drives so much of this — and I also understand and respect that Quebec's place in the federation is unique. But in this election, a campaign that has highlighted regional differences in the name of political expediency could have really long lasting consequences.

Even inside the campaigns, they know it won't be easy to put it all back together again. One operative told me, "we didn't have a choice — we had to put party ahead of country," before lamenting that reversing gears after the election will be "truly hard."

I just hope for our country's sake that it won't be impossible.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
37,070
6
36
From: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/can...8-divisive-politics-election-result-1.5327423 (By Vassy Kapelos, host of Power & Politics)

I have an embarrassing confession to make.


My first reporting job was in Swift Current, Sask. I was relieved and excited to get the job, but I had a slight problem. I had no idea where in Saskatchewan Speedy Creek, as it's affectionately known, was (it's about two hours southwest of Regina, FYI).
The reason I didn't know: I grew up, like so many do, in Toronto, a.k.a. the centre of the universe, insulated from everything but my own ignorance. If I had thought of Alberta and Saskatchewan while growing up for a combined total of more than 10 minutes, it would have been a miracle of sorts.
So spending the first five years of my career in those provinces, I hope, saved me from my own ignorance. It also fundamentally changed the way I look at our country.
While here in the central part of the country it's almost normal for people to scoff, or even roll their eyes, every time someone brings up separatism out West, it's not that simple. Is the concept of separating illogical, maybe even too dramatic? Sure. But it's anchored in a very real sense of being disconnected from the centre of federal power and political will.
That has been very evident in this campaign. When the leaders did stop in Alberta (as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau did last night), they did so sparingly, and in the case of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, not at all.
Yes, I know that's a function of the fact the Conservatives, according to CBC's Poll Tracker, are set to capture 60 per cent of the popular vote in the province. But people who don't live and breathe politics don't think of it that way — they just see that nobody is showing much interest in them.
That's not entirely true. There is a lot of interest in fossil fuels — whether they should be phased out and how fast that should happen, as well as much debate about whether the TMX pipeline should go ahead. I'm not here to get into the merits of any of that and I completely get the impetus to go all out to reduce emissions, but suffice it to say, those questions have pitted large swaths of progressive politicians against the livelihoods of a lot of Albertans.
Then you hop a bunch of provinces to the east and another wild situation awaits us. The remarkable re-emergence of the Bloc in Quebec could leave the province in a scenario few would have imagined even six weeks ago, with the majority of seats going to the BQ.
That has been very evident in this campaign. When the leaders did stop in Alberta (as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau did last night), they did so sparingly, and in the case of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, not at all.
If Alberta is the fly-over zone of this election, Quebec is anything but. Yes, I know it's because every party is fighting for their lives in that province. But in an effort to do so, and to counter the Bloc, messaging from every. single. party. has focused on addressing nationalist sentiment and interests.
Jurisdiction over immigration, autonomy over culture, masters of their institutions, a veto over pipelines, opting out of universal pharmacare — the list of promises from federal leaders to Quebecers is long. Who could forget also that every leader quickly agreed to Premier Francois Legault's demand not to intervene legally in challenges against his province's secularism law.
I'm not naive. I understand that electoral math drives so much of this — and I also understand and respect that Quebec's place in the federation is unique. But in this election, a campaign that has highlighted regional differences in the name of political expediency could have really long lasting consequences.
Even inside the campaigns, they know it won't be easy to put it all back together again. One operative told me, "we didn't have a choice — we had to put party ahead of country," before lamenting that reversing gears after the election will be "truly hard."
I just hope for our country's sake that it won't be impossible.
Just follow the TransCanada Highway west. It's a straight, level line from Regina to Speedy Creek. Don't forget to check your odometer from time to time to make sure that you're moving.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
37,070
6
36
"The west wants out": Separatist sentiments growing in Alberta
About time.. become the 51st State and let the Eastern Bastards Freeze in the Dark..
Trudeau would rather buy oil from his Wahhabi friends in Saudi Arabia.
Tick Man is so full of hate.

Tick Man is a traitor to this country.
 

Danbones

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 23, 2015
24,505
2,197
113
Interesting, how did you get to be KWOn by that name?
;)
and are you going to get your gun and go tell them beatings will continue U.N.till moral improves?

and in the case of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, not at all

I guess we know which half of Canada he thinks is racist then.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,336
113
Vancouver Island
He wants to break up Canada. That is the very definition of treason.
No trudowe and his kind are forcing us to reevaluate our position in confederation. The current model does not work for us and never has. Quebekers have been stirring the separatist pot forever but are quick to receive the spoils of westerners dedication to work. Things can change peacefully or otherwise but they will change and it will be in our favour.
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
37,070
6
36
No trudowe and his kind are forcing us to reevaluate our position in confederation. The current model does not work for us and never has. Quebekers have been stirring the separatist pot forever but are quick to receive the spoils of westerners dedication to work. Things can change peacefully or otherwise but they will change and it will be in our favour.
Trudeau is a passing fad.

You should seriously examine the contents of your hearts if you are willing to drop your country every time a milqutoast turns up in Ottawa.

I still have faith that most Westerners are real Canadians and that the sunny day, pick-and-choose graspers are a minority.

It sure would be nice to march them down to the border, give them a little push do that they can find out what that place is really like. You'll be lining up at the fence trying to get back in in short order.
 

pgs

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 29, 2008
26,542
6,923
113
B.C.
Trudeau is a passing fad.

You should seriously examine the contents of your hearts if you are willing to drop your country every time a milqutoast turns up in Ottawa.

I still have faith that most Westerners are real Canadians and that the sunny day, pick-and-choose graspers are a minority.

It sure would be nice to march them down to the border, give them a little push do that they can find out what that place is really like. You'll be lining up at the fence trying to get back in in short order.
Western discontent didn’t start with Trudeau and won’t end with him . Our country is set up so the political power revolves around Toronto and Montreal . The west still wants in , and if you won’t let us in we will take our ball and go .
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ron in Regina