Alberta Independence Situation
My interpretation as to the Alberta Independence situation by Mike Bennison.
At no time has Ottawa ever favoured us over provinces to the east. They use our money and resources to bribe them against us. That is one of the main reasons you will never get two prov. to separate at the same time. I think 100 years is long enough to qualify us, in the cautious /reasoning/ over swift reaction dept.
You can make mention of "ALBERTA INDEPENDENCE versus ALBERTA SEPARATION" In short you are playing semantics with too important a subject, this issue has been clouded along this line for the past year, and it has gotten the movement nowhere.
I'm going to address an important concern to Albertan's "My rationale: In present political-economic conditions, separatism is not workable on an individual provincial basis.” You have a catch 22 situation in which, on one hand if things are economically fine, there is no dissension in the populous, and if things are bad, then we do not have the economic where with all to carry off independence. We might as well all pack up our kit and go home, and then wait around another 100 yrs.
As far as economic/political partners is concerned, there's no such thing. Every state / prov. country, community, will makes their own decisions as to trade and commerce. Anyway being stuck in this confederation, it will not be an option until we are separated. Ottawa will call the shots until then. Many knowledgeable people, for many yrs have discussed this important subject at great length. Even back in the WCC days. But short of getting into a discussion on "Substantive form and prime-evil matter" The largest majority of all the economic experts agreed that Alberta could quite easily stand economically viably alone, and quite well I might add. If we can support the entire country, supporting one prov. shouldn't be much of challenge.
You talk of the need for a sea port. Well, Vancouver will still take all our sea traffic, and if the supply and demand program kicks in, more then likely, at a cheaper tariff then we are paying today. Remember we now would also have the American ports to choose from as well. As for the feds harassing us with embargoes & tariffs, and trying to disallow us passage through BC. I can only say, it would only be a small fraction, compared to the treatment they would receive trying to get their commerce back and forth across this country to tide water , that kind of thinking goes both ways and in our favour.
Getting to the PQ part . Que. indep. and AB. indep. Are totally different. I remember back before their last referendum, their premiere Lucian B. was on QR.77 radio at which time I asked him point blank "What can I do as an Albertan to help Que. leave confederation" His answer was simply" You can count on me." My analysis of this was that they did not want any help because they do not really want separation. What they do want is more equalisation money, which incidentally comes from the only place left with extra cash, ALBERTA. So any comparison between Que. and AB. is a non-issue. They are one prov. that could not stand alone, that's why there is a Bloc Que.party. The time to separate with all the T’s crossed & I’s dotted is never going to happen. The statement "Forge beneficial inter-prov/ international alliances, then have a referendum with more than one prov. at a time coming to the same conclusion at the same time.” is pie in the sky planning. There are going to be many obstacles for Independence to cross, we don't need to add our own, AND we don't need to get into a political independence fight with our hands tied behind our back, saddled with our own makeshift problems. We've had enough of back room politician’s making deals under the guise of forging economical and political ties; the problem is we Albertan’s always come up short. We Albertan are an independent minded people with strong views on pretty much everything, when it comes to deciding aye or nay on leaving confederation, it will be done on an individual basis, not on a mass collective agenda. Each person in his or her own time will see the long-term beneficial reasoning we are advocating. When that day comes hopefully the election call will not be far off.
FREE THE FUTURE REPUBLIC OF ALBERTA