EDMONTON — Alberta’s various independence leaders are insistent that there is no chance of altering how Canada functions; that Ottawa views the province as merely a source of revenue, and that this will never change. Alberta has tried everything, they say, and none of it has worked. This is a gross oversimplification.
From the very beginning, Albertans have been shaping Canada. Separatists fixate on the fact that a proposal for what is now Alberta and Saskatchewan to become one large province called Buffalo was rejected by Ottawa, ahead of both being given provincehood in 1905. But surely the most important lesson is not whether the West got everything it wanted, but that it achieved the most important outcome: raising mere districts of the North-West Territories into full-fledged provinces, the fruits of a years-long campaign.
The alienation felt out West is real, particularly over the last 10 years, as the Liberal government in Ottawa targeted Alberta’s energy industry with policy after policy aimed at suppressing development in the name of climate change. But it is more ingrained than that. Even when learning about Canadian history in schools, it is taught as if the “real Canada” — i.e., Ontario and Quebec — is far away from the West.
However, what the separatists and those dismissive of Alberta both overlook is that throughout history, Western Canada has consistently pulled the centre of power and influence away from Ottawa.
There are several such examples, usually centred around the control of natural resources. In 1930, the four western provinces were officially given ownership over their resources, and in the 1970s and ’80s, Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, through a combination of charm and threats, re-framed the relationship between Ottawa and the West.
Lougheed forced then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau to remove some of the most objectionable elements of the national energy program. Most importantly, he convinced other premiers, as well as Trudeau, to add Section 92A to the Constitution during the patriation process. That section significantly expands authority over natural resources, granting provinces the exclusive control over exploration, development and taxation of non-renewables.
What this means is that there is a way forward for Alberta within Canada, no matter who is in power. The province’s leaders should proceed as if no co-operation is expected from Ottawa, even if the federal government appears open to change from time to time.
The key approach is to build coalitions among other provinces and to focus policy towards retaining the province’s constitutional powers and pushing the federal government back into its lane. In fact, this is the work that the current Alberta government under UCP Premier Danielle Smith has been doing, but it could stand to be even more aggressive.
So here are four ways that the province can get what it needs without separating.
1) Keep the courts busy
While the Supreme Court bizarrely upheld the federal government’s blatantly unconstitutional carbon tax, the template Alberta followed in going to court is one that is worth repeating whenever Ottawa oversteps its constitutional role. The coalition of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, each challenging the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, kept Ottawa on the defensive.
2) Use Section 92A aggressively
Alberta should leverage its constitutional authority over natural resources to the fullest extent, including exploring options like a provincial energy company or a resource-based pension plan. The goal is to maximize provincial control and revenue from oil, gas, and other resources.
3) Build alliances with other provinces
Alberta cannot go it alone. By working with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and even Atlantic provinces on shared grievances—such as equalization or federal overreach—Alberta can create a powerful bloc that Ottawa cannot ignore. The Council of the Federation should be used as a platform for joint action.
4) Reform federal institutions
Alberta should push for changes to the Senate, the Supreme Court appointment process, and the equalization formula to ensure fairer representation for the West. This includes advocating for a Triple-E Senate (elected, equal, effective) and a constitutional amendment to limit federal spending power.
These steps, pursued relentlessly, can secure Alberta’s place in Canada without the need for separation. The province has the tools; it just needs the will to use them.
