Problems viewing brochure? Get Acrobat Reader
| Archived Opinions/Editorials: Pre-2005 |
The Election and Western Alienation - Central Canada Doesn't Get It R. B. (Bruce) Hutton, the National Post, July 4, 2004 For a Canadian Nationalist the results of last week's federal election will be devastating. For an Alberta Separatist it is the best thing to happen in the last 40 years. The strong Liberal minority, if we can call it that, has fuelled Western alienation and will lead to the eventual break-up of Canada. Western nationalists and even some soft separatists were hoping for a Conservative majority to end what they perceived as corruption in Ottawa. They would have been happy with a Conservative minority or a weak Liberal minority. Imagine, if you can, Westerners counting on Ontario to deliver a weak Liberal minority. The rationale was simple; a weak minority government can be held accountable for its actions and is therefore both responsible and responsive. This is a novel concept that has been sorely lacking in this country since the mid-sixties. Why did we get this strong Liberal minority? The west believes the scare tactics of the Liberal ad campaign about Conservatives abolishing health care and ads warning about Conservative fiscal irresponsibility and deficit financing were effective - not true, but effective. It is hard to understand how the Liberals can get away with producing ads about someone else's fiscal irresponsibility given their track record. History will show that the Liberals and Paul Martin balanced the books on the backs of Canadian taxpayers by spending the Canada Pension Plan revenue, by transferring excesses from the Unemployment Insurance Plan to general revenue and by off-loading the costs onto the provinces, e.g. - Healthcare. There is no questions that Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's comments ten days before the election about Alberta ignoring the Canada Health Act put the final nail in Stephen Harper's coffin. Alas, the people of Ontario believed the ads, changed their minds and voted for "... the devil they know" giving the Liberals 75 seats. Which brings us to the question, "Why would responsible, once proud Canadians, consider something as Canada-shattering as separation?" The reasons are too many to list and auger back tothe Trudeau era with his blatant arrogance towards the West (who can forget his one finger salute) and his devestating policies like the National Energy Program. But the media, the political pundits, Canadian nationalists and the people of central and eastern Canada will say the west, oops - I mean the Neanderthal rednecks from the west are like spoiled brats who don't like how the game is being played and are threatening to take their ball and go home. Folks, I think they are finally getting it right. But we are not just taking the ball; we are taking the game and the revenue that goes with it. It will be interesting to see how the rest of Canada reacts without the "Golden Goose" in their game. The perception in Central Canada is that Ontario carries the rest of the country financially. Nothing could be further from the truth. Until 2001, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia were net contributors to Ottawa while the rest of the country were net recipients from the Federal Transfer Program. On a per capita basis, Alberta pays the most. Unfortunately, a few years of New Democrat governance in British Columbia has destroyed that province's economy and they are now a have-not province and a net recipient from the Federal Transfer Program. Hopefully their economy can recover in the future. Quebec has been a net recipient of over 230 billion dollars since 1961 and continues to pursue nationhood. Is this 230 billion dollars and all the bad business decisions in Quebec's favour (like the CF-18 maintenance contract transferred from Manitoba to Quebec) made by the federal government just political correctness? Who is going to subsidize Quebec if they leave Canadian Confederation? They wouldn't have Ontario and Alberta to carry them financially. Or do they really need subsidies? Are they entitled to Federal Transfer Payments or are they just raping the rest of Canada? These are tough questions all Canadians are entitled to have answered. Even dim-witted, knuckle-dragging westerners understand that without oil and gas revenue, Alberta would also be a true have-not region and a net recipient under the Federal Transfer Program. This non-renewable resource is the primary fuel and main reason for Alberta's vibrant economy. Unfortunately, the excess revenue that should be used to diversify the Alberta economy, develop end-use manufacturing and build for the future is being shipped to Ottawa to be squandered by the federal government and their out of control bureaucracy. All Canadians should understand that oil and gas is a non-renewable resource that will become obsolete before it runs out. Environmental concerns, including global warming, guarantee that. It is therefore tantamount that Alberta use the excess revenue from this resource to diversify its economy. This has not, can not, and will not happen inside Canadian Confederation. Central Canada will not give up control of the "Golden Goose" and make Alberta an equal partner in Confederation. A Triple "E" Senate, and other so-called "firewall programs" similar to those already practiced by Quebec and Ontario, will not stop the economic drain from Alberta to Ottawa. In 2002 Alberta paid 9.98 billion dollars and in 2003 Alberta paid 11.1 billion dollars for a total of 21.08 billion dollars as their net cost to be Canadian. In layman's terms, that would put 1,258 loonies on every single foot of the centre line of the Trans Canada highway from Victoria to Halifax. The next cost to Alberta since 1961 to be Canadian has been in excess of 250 billion dollars with no return on investment. Alberta cannot afford to continue to subsidize Canada and many Albertans believe it is no longer acceptable for us to do so. The newly registered Separation Party of Alberta will be running candidates in the upcoming provincial election. SPA is the only viable alternative for the people of Alberta. Separation from Canadian Confederation, forming our own country and using the excess wealth from oil and gas to diversify the Alberta economy is the only hope for Alberta's future. It must be done before the "Golden Goose" lays the last egg. If that means changing the game, so be it. "Life in Alberta will be a SPA when we get rid of Ottawa." - R.B. (Bruce) Hutton, Founder and Leader of the Separation Party of Alberta |
| Alberta’s Premier Klein Gets Pied
R. B. (Bruce) Hutton, July 2003 Well, it isn’t egg on his face which is what Premier Klein has been getting for the last eighteen (18) months. This time the Premier was the recipient of a banana-cream pie at his annual Stampede Breakfast on Monday, July 7, 2003 compliments of three University of Calgary students. After the unfortunate incident, the Premier was quoted as saying, “It speaks to his intelligence or lack thereof to do this in front of 3,000 or 4,000 people.” The premier continued, “It doesn’t say anything about politics. It says something about the stupidity of this young person, who will now have a criminal record and who will be in trouble, I think, at his university.” Premier Klein joins the list of pied Canadian politicians that include Quebec Premier Jean Charest, former Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Montréal Mayor Gerald Tremblay. It appears Premier Klein and the others are missing the point. First, they should consider themselves very lucky this is Canada. This is a rather peaceful, complacent society this Canada. For the most part, political office is not as dangerous as it is in other “democracies”. But make no mistake, these demonstrators are very upset or they wouldn’t expose themselves to “a criminal record” and “… in trouble, I think, at his university.” It does say something about politics. It says the populace is disgruntled about the bungling and mismanagement at the federal and provincial government levels. It says people are willing to jeopardize their future to try to get a relatively “peaceful message of discontent to these politicians.” There is no fame or financial gain to be reaped from throwing a pie in a politicians face. Christopher Geoghegan, the 23 year old university student who hit Klein with the pie, said his actions were politically motivated, “There is a myriad of reasons why I did what I did but it was definitely political.” He stated he had “…a sense of shame and frustration from the decisions (Klein) has made that we have to live with every day.” The unfortunate part of this exercise is that it will accomplish nothing positive. Politicians, like Premier Klein, can’t see the forest for the trees. They just don’t get it. But there are thousands of disgruntled Albertans who wish they had “the courage to throw a little pie in the hopes that some politicians would wake up and lead.” There are many problems in Alberta, problems that aren’t being handled with any conviction. There is the closed border from BSE, the same sex marriage issue, the Kyoto Accord, the federal gun registry and to quote Mr. Geoghegan “...a myriad of reasons”. When are the leaders going to start leading their administration to successful resolution of these very controversial issues? Unfortunately, they’re not. I only hope Premier Klein is wrong in his assessment of the situation. “A pie today, it could be something else tomorrow, and that’s why I’m not going to let this go without prosecution.” It could very well be something else tomorrow, something more drastic and more tragic. These politicians should open their eyes and “start looking at the forest” to prevent further and perhaps more serious demonstrations of discontent in the future. |
| CANADA DOESN’T WORK
R.B. (Bruce) Hutton, May 2003 I was raised in western Canada. Unfortunately, as a Western Canadian, I have felt alienated and angry towards the political system and its incongruities all my adult life. I felt alienated and angry in a country that I was taught by my parents and the government education system to love and respect. I was proud to be a capital “C” Canadian, small “c” conservative. I am no longer proud of this country. I have moved passed anger to become totally dedicated to the only logical solution to the current political situation in Canada - Alberta Separation. Let me outline some of my reasons for being a Separatist. I was alienated and angered by a parliamentary system that is fatally flawed, a system that both Ontario and Quebec are unwilling to amend in pursuit of a strong and equal Confederation. I was alienated and angered by an Ottawa that is not even willing to pretend the West is wanted or needed in Confederation. I was alienated and angered by a Quebec that is never satisfied and is forever threatening to separate but has neither the conviction nor the guts to do it. I was alienated and angered by a Judiciary so out of control it actually believes it is right and just and therefore doing a great service to Canada and Canadians. I was alienated and angered by an endless list of federal political and bureaucratic bungling that occurs without consequence and without accountability. And I was alienated and angered by a Canada that celebrates mediocrity and personal bests; a belief that being average and loved by all is wonderful. Canada takes that same mentality and tries to compete on a global stage in a world economy and it doesn’t work. These are but a few of many examples that used to make me feel alienated and angry. That no longer happens. I am past that; I am a Separatist. I have asked many Canadian Nationalists how to address my concerns and solve my loss of Canadian identity and pride. “Please bring me back into the fold,” I pleaded. They couldn’t. They have no strong, well thought out reasons to be Canadian. Many agree with my assessment of Canada but have no suggestions, plans or alternatives. I have asked how the West could be included in Canada. Some believe it can’t and are honest enough and intelligent enough to admit it. Some idealists have dreams, an example of which would be an elected Senate, equally represented to the regions of the country, with actual power to govern. These ideas are revered in the West but receive no support in Upper and Lower Canada. If you understand the Canadian Constitutional amending formula, you know there is no chance of change within the current system. Link Byfield of the Citizens Centre advocates Refederation and the Stephan Harper, Ted Morton et al theory, the Alberta Agenda, want to build “firewalls” to protect Alberta. I don’t see anything in Mr. Byfield’s or the Alberta Agenda that will save Alberta from becoming a have-not province. Oil and gas will be obsolete before Mr. Byfield’s plan ever works, if it ever works at all. The Alberta Agenda is attainable (Quebec already does it) but it will not address the main problem, the financial bleeding. In the last six years (1997 - 2002) Alberta has contributed 43.833 billion dollars more to Ottawa than it received back from Ottawa.* The sole return on this investment is to be a member of this political union known as Canada. This gross mismanagement of the short-term excess revenues from a non-renewable resource by the provincial Conservatives is totally unacceptable. Ralph Klein’s Tories are letting Ottawa rape the Alberta economy and they don’t have the courage or the conviction to do what the Canadian Constitution authorizes them to do. Albertans should be furious. In the last 40 years there have been a number of fruitless attempts to facilitate some form of separation for the West. The motivation behind these movements was primarily to try to make changes and “get into” Confederation as opposed to “getting out”. The Confederation of Regions and the Western Canada Concept Party are two examples of the idea that the four western provinces should separate as a unit. The Alberta Independence Party was an example of a group that advocated Alberta “going it alone”. The Alberta First Party supports, at the very least, forcing some major reform inside Confederation. But why has there never been groundswell support for any of the previous “separatist movements”? I am not privy to the inner workings of these organizations. The old groups had or have some well-qualified leadership. I think there is a myriad of reasons why the old groups failed. Perhaps some of the reasons were too much enthusiasm, narrow focus of their demographics and no short and long-term plan for their movement. However, there is one thing I believe to be a major contributing factor leading to these groups inability to maintain momentum. The loss of momentum occurred because the motivating impetus was anger, e.g. National Energy Policy. I believe anger is no longer the motivating force for separation in Alberta and that makes this alternative viable. Alberta has been a financial net contributor to Canada for decades joining Ontario in subsidizing Quebec and the have-not regions/provinces. Whether from ignorance or arrogance, the people of Ontario think they carry the entire country on their shoulders and refer to Westerners as “whiners”. They give Alberta no consideration as a financial contributor to the cost of maintaining the Confederation. Net contributions from provinces show that is simply not the case. Ontario and Alberta are the only two provinces that pay into Confederation. British Columbia has contributed in the past but after years of socialist mismanagement, they are broke. Today, on a per capita basis, Alberta pays more to belong to Canada than Ontario. Due to Ontario’s large population, they pay dearly to subsidize Confederation. But Ontario gets a huge return on investment. They have manufacturing and supply “end-user” products for Canada and for international export. The most frustrating and truly unfortunate aspect of this arrangement is that Quebec is not a have-not province. Quebec just doesn’t appear to have any pride. They accept federal welfare (transfer payments and corporate subsidies) as a right of passage. In the period 1961 - 1992, Alberta paid 139 billion to belong to Canada. During the same period, Quebec received 168 billion more from Ottawa than it paid.** That makes Quebec better at “working the political system” but it confirms that Quebec has no commitment to Confederation. And it doesn’t solve our problems in Alberta and our concerns about an unworkable system and the future of our people. It has been suggested by some that Alberta cannot survive on its own. A number of studies show that Alberta can survive as a country on its own. That is, in fact, the only viable alternative for a successful future and true happiness for Albertans. The solution to this financial bleeding and development of a diversified economy is Separation and “going it alone.” The only thing missing was a methodology or a plan that could rally all angry Albertans and Alberta separatists. The Separation Party of Alberta will bring that plan to the political table in near future. We are presently forming a registered provincial political party in Alberta and our founding convention will be October 31 - November 2, 2003 at the North Hill Inn in Red Deer, Alberta * Source: Alberta Finance, Government of Alberta - March 2003 ** Source: Dr. Robert Mansell and Robert Schlenker, “The Provincial Distribution of Federal Fiscal Balances,” Canadian Business Economics 3:2 (Winter 1995) 3-21 |
See the General News/Op Ed Archives Listing for more articles |
