 Why do you want to separate Alberta from the rest of Canada? For over 100 years, the West has tried to become an equal partner in Confederation without success. We have been the "... hewers of water and packers of wood" for central Canada and under the current Canadian Constitution it will not change. We have been exposed to unjust and immoral policies such as the National Energy Program, the Canadian Wheat Board, the Kyoto Accord and now, mismanagement of the BSE crisis. All federal governments since Confederation have failed to represent the best interest of Alberta and ultimately shown total disregard for the Canadian Constitution. We have no choice but to separate in order to facilitate change.
Don't you believe in sharing with the rest of Canada? Alberta can no longer afford to subsidize Canadian Confederation. Excess revenues from our non-renewable resources of oil and gas should be used to diversify the Alberta economy by developing end-use manufacturing. This excess is currently being shipped to Ottawa with no return on investment. This will not change inside Canadian confederation.
We have shared our resources and the wealth they generate for decades. We cannot afford to continue this practice. In 2003, Alberta paid Ottawa $11.1 billion more than Alberta received, with no return on investment. It is time for Albertans to use the wealth from our depleting non-renewable natural resources to diversify our economy. Separation will ensure the economic future of this province.
How widespread is your support in Alberta? We have members in all parts of the province. Recent polls indicate support for secession is stronger than one might think. The Canada West Foundation, in its publication "Looking West 2003" asked Albertans to respond to the statement: "Would Alberta be better off economically if it separated from Canada?" One quarter (actually 25.5%) agreed - 13.5% strongly agreed. JMCK Communications Ltd. conducted a poll in November, 2002, in response to the pending ratification of the Kyoto Accord. They asked Albertans: "If the federal government ratifies Kyoto against the wishes of the Alberta government, what do you think Alberta should do?" Almost half (46.8%) agreed "Alberta should explore other options such as independence" while another 9.4% felt Alberta should choose to join the United States. In March, 2003, the same pollster asked Albertans: "When considering Alberta's role within Confederation, which of the following scenarios would you support?" Fully 16.4% said Alberta should become "independent from Canada." In the January, 2004 Canadian edition of Readers Digest, Premier Klein acknowledged that one in four Albertans (25%) were in support of separation. All of this support was before news of the Gomery Inquiry and other recent scandals at the federal level.
How sure are you that the Canadian armed forces won't invade Alberta to prevent separation? Practically speaking, it is highly unlikely that our own forces would invade Alberta to prevent separation, when the federal government has already made that option available to other regions, specifically Quebec.
How will separation and independence be accomplished? What would happen to our Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, and similar programs, if we separate? What about the RCMP? Police? Military? Like Quebec and Ontario have done, we will opt out of the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and similar programs. These funds will be paid to Alberta and administered here through our Finance Department, without any loss of benefits to the recipients. The wasteful duplication of services at the federal and provincial levels is eliminated by separation. The RCMP is a federal police force which would not be part of our police forces in Alberta. We would establish our own provincial police service and armed forces.
Can Alberta survive independently? Numerous studies have shown that Alberta could compete on an international level as a stand-alone nation.
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