What is fueling the western independence sentiment and what can be done about it? The first question is best answered by the movement’s leaders. The necessary response is harder to achieve, but not impossible.
This author recently watched a presentation by the Saskatchewan Prosperity Project (SPP) and Prairie Rising Forum to find out more. It seems grievances new and old and problems with Canadian federalism have fueled this prairie fire.
Michelle Krieger offered opening comments, suggesting if independence is a last resort, the federal response to the Trucker Convoy proves the time has come for it.
“Protest alone will not save us,” said Krieger, who ran for an independence party in the last provincial election.
“The federal government unlawfully invoked the Emergencies Act and violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Supreme Court of Canada has since confirmed twice that what the federal government did was unconstitutional, yet still no charges were laid and no accountability has ever followed,” Krieger said.
Krieger and people like her believe freedom is slipping away.
“Our children and grandchildren will never own homes, will never know real freedom, and will live under a system far more oppressive than what we know today. That is not the country our families fought for, and it is not the future we are willing to accept,” she said.
“We need everyone…to insist that our government stand with us, not against us.”
SPP President Brad Williams followed with a 40-minute address. He presented a slide with a quote by Minister of the Interior Clifford Sifton. In 1904 he said, “We desire…that the great trade of the prairies shall go to enrich our people to the East, to build up our factories and our places of work, and in every legitimate way to our prosperity.”
Williams insisted Canada remains eastern-focused today. To illustrate, he showed Atlantic Canada has 30 Senate seats on behalf of its population of less than three million people, while the four Western Canadian provinces have 24 seats to represent its 12 million people. As for the Supreme Court of Canada, Quebec with its 9 million people gets three SCC seats, while by tradition the four western provinces get two.
Equalization is another sore spot. B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan contribute while the rest receive. Quebec is the largest net recipient, though Atlantic provinces exceed it in per capita benefits.
Williams said if the tables turned and the West needed the East to support it, there would be nothing to get. He pointed to investment dollars leaving Canada and stagnant GDP growth as proof.
Interestingly, Williams did not even mention the successful Liberal election strategy laid out by Senator Keith Davey in 1980, “Screw the West, we’ll take the rest!” Similarly, former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s electoral victories happened with minimal support from the aggrieved provinces, and that has added to the lack of fidelity to the federation.
The Carney government doesn’t satisfy Williams either. He pointed out Carney’s acknowledged conflicts of interest due to his assets and the Liberal government’s continued plans to confiscate guns. Williams also warned of Ottawa’s increasing encroachment on freedoms of speech and religion and the use of cash. High taxes, deficit spending, and pricey government contracts with no return and no accountability only added to the grievances.
“Mice die in mouse traps because they do not understand why the cheese is free. The same thing happens with socialism,” Williams said. “Some people really honestly think, as well as most politicians these days–falsely think that money falls from the sky.”
A federal handout to Senegal was a special target of Williams’ ire. They received $25 million to help with youth unemployment, even though their 4.1 per cent rate was much better than the 14.7 per cent in Canada.
“What about our kids? Where’s the money for our kids? And it just goes on and on,” Williams complained.
“This ship in Canada is going down, and we have a choice along with Alberta. We can take our big, beautiful, strong lifeboats. We can throw ‘em up there. We can jump in and let go of the rope, or we can hold on and go down to the ship. The choice is ours.”
Despite this dire depiction, there are reasons for optimism for Canadians who still believe in Canada–including those in the West. Independence backers can be satisfied by a federation with fair structures and a wise-spending and integrous government. That should not be too much to ask. Unfortunately, reforming Canada’s equalization program and rebalancing the composition of its Senate and Supreme Court will not come easily.
