EDMONTON — Instead of focusing on integrating into Europe, Prime Minister Mark Carney might better address the growing anger in Western Canada. The Liberal government's repeated dismissals of Alberta, imposition of policies to control its resources, and constitutional manipulation have fueled separatist sentiment. On Monday, separatists delivered a petition for an independence referendum with over 300,000 signatures, making a vote this fall highly probable.
Decade of Liberal Governance
This situation stems from a decade of Liberal governance that has deeply divided the country in potentially irreparable ways. Economic indicators have worsened for Canada as a whole, but Alberta has been hit particularly hard. Standard of living, business investment, bankruptcies, and wage growth have all declined or stagnated under Liberal rule.
Oil Sector Investment Crash
The crash in oil sector investment is often attributed to market realities, such as the 2014 oil price drop or industry maturity. However, the government has suppressed market signals through high taxes and burdensome regulations. Those who claim there is no business case for new energy infrastructure often actively work to kill such cases through regulation.
For Albertans, this has meant lower wages and less stability. While the province still outperforms much of Canada economically, that reflects how much worse things could get, not how good they are.
Ottawa's Reconciliation Attempts
Ottawa's efforts to reconcile with Alberta have been largely ineffective. A memorandum of understanding signed by Carney and Premier Danielle Smith promised a pipeline approval but missed its April 1 deadline. The MOU ties pipeline construction to a massive carbon capture and storage project and gives British Columbia Premier David Eby an effective veto. This undermines claims that limited private interest in energy infrastructure is purely a business decision.
Instead, it appears to be a political decision to economically punish a specific region. Despite legitimate environmental concerns, the targeting of Western Canada fits a historical pattern where the country is governed primarily for Ontario and Quebec.
Historical Anti-Western Policies
The Liberal regime's Impact Assessment Act, west coast tanker ban, and carbon taxes echo Canada's long tradition of anti-Western policies. John A. Macdonald's National Policy protected central Canadian industry, forcing western farmers to buy expensive machinery while competing unprotected on world markets. Alberta and Saskatchewan gained provincehood in 1905 but did not control natural resources until 1930. Pierre Trudeau's national energy program kept oil prices artificially low, depriving western producers to benefit eastern consumers.
The current situation is the latest chapter in this history. The Liberals must take the separatist movement seriously before it tears the country apart.
