Welcome to the USA

[grassfarmer]

I'm not in favour of this independance for Alberta or any other seperatist moves. It's seems the easy option rather than sorting out the problems within the current framework.
I've only been here a little over 4 years now but I think you have a great country, of which Alberta and the Prairies are my favourite part. Saying that the country "isn't working" with relation to Alberta is not the reality I see. I see a fantastically wealthy province with low unemployment, a booming economy, few over restrictive laws and regulations and relatively low crime. There are gliches in the picture of course as there always are - primary ag producers are in dire straits but that is the case in many parts of the world.
One thing I note is that the people who back seperation generally are people who do not have a high opinion of Government and the amount of money they squander. While I tend to fall into that category myself I want to point out that a seperate entity of Alberta would require more politicians and money wasters not less.
We have just gone through something similar in the UK with it's 4 component countries - Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland all getting a regional or devolved parliament to allow more relevant Government and less control from London.
Reality is in this day and ago you get the regional parliaments as well as the national one. Regional ones deal with certain smaller issues but a national government is still needed to formulate overall policy and manage defence, the economy, EU negotiations etc etc.
So rather than having independance from London and England like a few Scottish sepratist fools hoped for they now have a Scottish parliament in Edinburgh as well as a National parliament in London. Two sets of money wasters in two ivory towers who inevitably spend much of their time squabbling with each other. Fair enough you already have provincial governments here but if there mandate is expanded their cost and workforce will increase while there will be no-one wanting to retire from Ottawa.

[kpb]

Well grassfarmer I've been here for a long time and I can tell you that Alberta has been ripped off by the central Canadian powerbase since before it was a province. The great points about living in Alberta that you cite are exactly the reasons why this province would make a great country--the fact is that the rest of Canada needs us a heck of a lot more than we need them. We contribute more than our fair share to equalization payments and have for a long time. We have a high standard of living here, an educated workforce and a friendly, generous people. I'm just sick and tired of central Canada taking advantage of our good nature. I don't see too many good things that confederation has afforded us and I see a whole lot of money being sucked away from us by the corrupt politicians of central Canada. Alberta could do just fine by itself and one day the people of this province will reach the point of frustration that makes a referendum possible. I don't think, from talking to the people that I know, that that point is far off.


kpb

[kpb]

grassfarmer, many of us can remember hearing from our parents and grandparents about the terrible times during the depression and dust bowl droughts in the west when eastern Canada would not lift a finger to help.
Many of us can remember the disaster in the petroleum industry during the Trudeau years with the National Energy Policy that put our industry on the rails in Alberta.
We have seen billions spent trying to keep Quebec in Canada.....and seen one federal government after the other forget about the west until it was time to call an election, so it isn't much wonder that folks are getting fed up.

[cowman]

KPB: I too believe that an absolute union with the USA is not in our best interest, but I have no problem with a basically "borderless" situation? Of course it would be helpful if we had at least BC on board...one huge trading block from California to Alaska!
The fact is most of our trade/commerce works in a north/south situation and we need to encourage that instead of set up artificial roadblocks?
It is very apparent that our current Alberta government has no intentions of ever standing up for our rights within this country? Our current premier is a joke. One person who I believe might be a "Alberta First" premier is Ted Morton? Apparently the old Tory guard are appalled that he stands a chance of becoming premier after Klein quits?
Can Alberta work within a framework of confederation? Personally I doubt it but I do know the bootlickers we have now are not the answer! Ted Morton would move us in a direction that starts to claim back some of our rights and freedoms!
I am often dismayed by the way the people of Saskatchewan and Manitoba react. It seems they keep electing these leftist governments and supporting all kinds of goofy ideas! They can't seem to get it through their heads that hey this isn't working! It almost seems like the ones who do get it, usually end up in Alberta where they embrace the Alberta attitude and do very well for themselves!
Of course the bumblers and toads we have had running Alberta for the last 35 years have not been helpful, but even they heven't been able to screw up the oil and gas boom!

[cowman]

cowman, the leadership of the AB PC Party is going to be a very interesting one.
Jim Dinning, Ed Stelmach and Ted Morton. You and I both know that Ted Morton won't stand a chance because there are already two very opposite camps forming with Dinning and Stelmach.
I like Ed Stelmach, he has been an excellent cabinet minister in the porfolios he has had, Ed is going to appeal to rural AB., he is a good old farmboy from Lamont and has rural roots and a strong committment to family and community.
Dinning is the boy with the Calgary connections, and is working day and night to increase his profile in rural AB.
I have met Ted Morton and am impressed at his down to earth demeanor and his common sense. The leadership whenever it takes place will be a crapshoot, and hopefully will not divide the province .