Good article, I especially appreciate the political analysis of the implications for Clark (and Kenney). Positing that the provinces would give up control of natural resources, a fundamental shift in the division of powers, is fantasy though. I wouldn’t rely on the the threat of that to convince Kenney of anything. If he didn’t believe in COVID, an actual threat, I wouldn’t rely on him worrying about this imaginary one.
I am aghast at the mind set and lack of forethought put into this written piece. We need this referendum to go forward as if it does not, we can not even discuss the subject of Equalization with other Provinces or the Federal Government. This is not just a Provincial issue but involves the entire county. Without a resounding majority of "yes" it dies and nothing can even be discussed about equalization, not just Provincially, but Federally as well. What the referendum creates is a place at the table where all Provincial and the Federal Government must sit to discuss the good points and flaws of the equalization formula. If you vote "No" it makes it so there is not even a table to sit at or anything to speak of. There is no intended outcome but if they can not even discuss the subject with out a referendum, how can anything ever change? Even if nothing changes, what can be wrong with a discussion on the topic between the leaders of our country. What I find most offensive is we have to have a referendum in the first place, to make the Provinces and the Federal Government come to the table to discuss an issue of great importance to the entire Nation. It should have happened long ago with no forcing through referendum, yet you would vote "no" so the discussion can not even take place?
In order to change the Constitution we do. Yes and we will enjoy it. That circus you speak of happens to be in Ottawa and you have the clowns running it. Thanks for your support.
"And yet Kenney may well be in even worse shape if the referendum passes. First, the chances of seven provinces with half of Canada’s population agreeing to remove the equalization clause is simply a non-starter. Even Erin O’Toole, should he be prime minister later this year, will face similar constraints that Stephen Harper did when he reformed the program to look much like it does today."
This is the key to the whole referendum that's never made sense to me. What does he actually expect to accomplish, having a provincial referendum on a federal issue?
"What does he actually expect to accomplish...?" The modern conservative is big on manipulating the low-information voter. Kenney knows this is an emotional issue for many Albertans and he intends to APPEAR to be on their side when he knows full well that the referendum is a show, a distraction and, ultimately, a waste of time and money. Remember Stephen Harper's persistent noise on Senate reform? Harper knew all along that it will take a constitutional amendment to change anything about the Senate but he also knew his voters would never look into it. The result was years of lucrative fundraising for the party. As he said in an email about the Duffy affair when a staffer suggested they just tell the truth - that the Senate rules are so lax Duffy will get away with it - "We can't expect our base to understand every rule of the Senate". I'm quoting from memory but I think Harper's attitude to his own base is clear.
Trudeau did change the way the Senate was being appointed by bringing in his so called "Independent" Senators. (I use the word independent very, very, loosely). He even put in one for Alberta yesterday, that he himself hand picked. He did so because Kenney said that we elect our Senators in Alberta so the people have a say who is sent to Ottawa to represent us. Trudeau does not believe in Democracy at all and in fact is working hard to destroy Canada's. Trudeau appointed four more Senators as well, so he can really stack the Senate to push through his Bills to end free speech for Canadians. The man and his party are a walking horror show for any democracy. His great admiration for China is more than just an admiration, he is walking in their footsteps with his new Stake Holder Capitalism. This is exactly what China has. The Government lets the businesses use the capital markets but they control the businesses and all the money. Are you catching on to what you are doing to this country by backing this Government? Doubtful. He will own you and every other Canadian! You will have nothing, own nothing, and you will be happy. If you think its a Conspiracy theory or a joke, I look forward to your surprise when you have a Communist country dictating your every move. Your already in it.
I'd suggest that having an elected Senate is a bad idea. Right now the Senate can't really hold up legislation passed by the House of Commons: not being elected, they don't have the legitimacy to override the Commons. But if the Senate is elected, you can get deadlock between the Commons and the Senate.
It's really the provincial premiers who have the power to represent regional interests. Since there's only 10 provinces, the premiers have more power in Canada than governors do in the US.
With an elected senate they could not stack it or our Supreme Court as Trudeau is doing. An elected Senate would be a Senate voted in by the people to represent the best interests of the people. Its called democratic. . You are also wrong on our Provincial Governments as with in the Constitution to which they all signed, they did have power over their own resources but the Communist Trudeau removed those when he became the Lord over all Canada. Trudeau danced on the Constitution and removed their rights with his regulatory regime. So it appears that the Premiers have control over the Provincial Health Care, whoops, no because if Trudeau does not like what they do he withholds transfer payments. You see the Provincial Governments only have control over the money Trudeau hands them as he has the power to give (like he does continually to Quebec) and to take away (as he continually does to Alberta) The Federal Government, even as a minority Government, has more power than the President of the United States. We are under the British Colonial Governing system as is our Parliament. Here I thought you were informed only to find your just as uninformed as the next guy.
I can't claim to be especially informed! I think that the premier of Alberta - elected by one of Canada's four largest provinces, one of the fastest-growing and the wealthiest - does have a lot of power. I thought Notley used that power effectively, getting TMX approved and underway by supporting climate policy, while Kenney has been less effective, sinking $1.3B into KXL only to see it fail.
Sorry Russil Wvong. I was disappointed as usually you are informed and I enjoy reading what you write. I will read more of your blog as at least you are trying to be fair. Most people just slam Alberta as whiners and denounce the entire Province. Although some information is correct you leave out much of the reason for the complete divestment in the Oilsands which belongs to Trudeau's regulatory regime and his policies, not just the price drop. The Oil companies emptied out of Alberta like buffalo over a cliff once Trudeau began revamping the resource regulations as he wanted complete control over what Alberta could do with its resources. Hence we no longer have any control over our resources as was written in Canada's Constitution. Then we had Bill C49, the no Tanker bill he passed which was not only unconstitutional but it was evil. He went against the recommendations of the Senate as they too thought it was penalizing to only one Province and its resource. There was also his Bill C69, the no more pipeline bill, again, against one Province's resources and the Constitution but done anyway with no revision. These are important facts that keep getting left out of all news and communications. Trudeau came after Alberta with a vengeance and a hatred like no other and he openly declared war on the Province shortly after his election. He announced that they would be phasing out the oilsands. The very idea that he as Prime Minister was not only proudly announcing this but knowing that the Provinces had control over their own resources. This was put in the Constitution his father brought in after the first attempt to take the oilsands under his socialist regime. You see the apple does not fall too far from the tree. You also did not put in the blog that BC also went against our Constitution by doing every thing possible to stop Trans mountain from being built and yet it was Alberta that was the bad guy, again. It appears Alberta is the kicking board for the country.
Also Both Trudeau and Notley, shortly after he was elected, canceled the already green lighted Northern Gateway Pipeline and before this, he had TransCanada walk away from the planning stage of the Energy East pipeline because he changed the regulatory requirements and added impossible upstream and downstream emissions at the last minute. Trudeau and his mainstream (you scratch my back, and I will scratch yours )media like to paint a more glorified picture and so they always tell a version making him the hero and hide the villainy of his actions. His absolute hatred of Alberta and Albertan's is obvious and he glorifies in every bit of destruction he can bring. I mean that whole heartedly. If anyone wonders why Albertan's despise this Government, its not rocket science and the media feeds off Trudeaus hatred and pushes it out to the public to ensure Alberta is the bad guy for all of Canada to hate, we are just a bad actor of a Province. Canada is a joke and I mean that truly and anyone who considers this a country is insane. This will be Trudeaus Post National State under the Chinese's state Capitalism with complete control over its people. That is where they are taking us. Trudeau himself has said this. Canadians did not even blink an eye, That's frightening to me and it should be to anyone with any common sense who loves freedom.
I think it's so fascinating to see comments like "the modern conservative is big on manipulating the low-information voter".
This is hardly a tactic limited to conservatism. Frankly our current government does this brilliantly from a political strategy point of view. Where they differ from Conservatives is in the delivery. Liberals are great at concealing it, whereas Conservatives, to their detriment, are pretty blatant about it. More than anything I think that hurts them with the average voter...
Of course all politicians do this but it has become a first choice for the "conservative movement" types. You're right that they don't try to dress it up at all. They are proud of it. Kenney knows full well that the referendum is a fraud and is willing to spend time and taxpayer dollars to trick people. It can work very well with gullible people (see: a couple of posts on this thread). It's a tactic that ultimately has negative repercussions including the erosion of civil discourse. A good example is Kenney's Allan Report (https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/07/30/analysis/clear-their-names-jason-kenney) which is minor compared to the "Stop the Steal" cancer to the south of us.
The National Observer. Really? No bias what so ever for anyone to find there. Please at least pick a paper that is blatantly not written by and for environmentalists.
Speaking of the low informed voters we have people that actually believe the mainstream media. Why are people so worried about Alberta having a referendum on equalization if nothing can ever come of bringing it forward? If truly nothing can be changed by a referendum then why does it bother so many to have one? What is the worst to come from it? Waste? Is that why Trudeau is so angry at Alberta now? Well we could look at our Federal Liberal Government if we care to discuss waste. Just look at the deficit, and what we have to show for it besides indebting generations of citizens for Trudeaus new Post National State. Now Trudeau is holding another Federal Election soon and we just had one 2 years ago. These elections cost the taxpayers millions and he plans it in the middle of a new wave. Coincidence? Concealing, my god a blind man with a stick could see that coming miles away. Unless you happen to be a low informed voter that is. My god the man is a walking advertisement for complete corruption of democracy, the destruction of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and our Constitution not to mention meddling in our judicial system. Of course being a low informed voter who gets their news from the CBC you probably missed that part mostly because Trudeau's paid mains stream media does little or no reporting on it. Not that Liberal voters can read. Even the lowest informed voters know that it is low lives peddling Liberal propaganda far more than being news. The mainstream media fixate on Conservatives so that is why its more than apparent what they are doing. Why should they not be open and transparent, and say exactly what they are doing, that was to be the virtues of the new open and transparent Liberal Government of Canada. I am sure I heard that come straight from Justin Trudeau's mouth. They media try to conceal the corruption or just don't report it but If you have an eye on politics, then you know the difference. I can list every transgression and would be willing to gladly put them in numerical order for you by date and the transgression incurred from Trudeau against the Canadian people. Every single straight to our faces lie. I can tell them all to you and even some you most likely did not see on the evening news. Those who vote for the Liberals are the actual uniformed voters and it has nothing to do with Trudeau and his Government being able to conceal anything its the media doing so. The Liberals are corrupt to the core and yet your all worried about Albertan's having a vote on a referendum for equalization. Imagine that.
Good article, I especially appreciate the political analysis of the implications for Clark (and Kenney). Positing that the provinces would give up control of natural resources, a fundamental shift in the division of powers, is fantasy though. I wouldn’t rely on the the threat of that to convince Kenney of anything. If he didn’t believe in COVID, an actual threat, I wouldn’t rely on him worrying about this imaginary one.
I am aghast at the mind set and lack of forethought put into this written piece. We need this referendum to go forward as if it does not, we can not even discuss the subject of Equalization with other Provinces or the Federal Government. This is not just a Provincial issue but involves the entire county. Without a resounding majority of "yes" it dies and nothing can even be discussed about equalization, not just Provincially, but Federally as well. What the referendum creates is a place at the table where all Provincial and the Federal Government must sit to discuss the good points and flaws of the equalization formula. If you vote "No" it makes it so there is not even a table to sit at or anything to speak of. There is no intended outcome but if they can not even discuss the subject with out a referendum, how can anything ever change? Even if nothing changes, what can be wrong with a discussion on the topic between the leaders of our country. What I find most offensive is we have to have a referendum in the first place, to make the Provinces and the Federal Government come to the table to discuss an issue of great importance to the entire Nation. It should have happened long ago with no forcing through referendum, yet you would vote "no" so the discussion can not even take place?
You don't need a referendum to discuss the issue anywhere. You just do it. Enjoy your circus.
In order to change the Constitution we do. Yes and we will enjoy it. That circus you speak of happens to be in Ottawa and you have the clowns running it. Thanks for your support.
"And yet Kenney may well be in even worse shape if the referendum passes. First, the chances of seven provinces with half of Canada’s population agreeing to remove the equalization clause is simply a non-starter. Even Erin O’Toole, should he be prime minister later this year, will face similar constraints that Stephen Harper did when he reformed the program to look much like it does today."
This is the key to the whole referendum that's never made sense to me. What does he actually expect to accomplish, having a provincial referendum on a federal issue?
"What does he actually expect to accomplish...?" The modern conservative is big on manipulating the low-information voter. Kenney knows this is an emotional issue for many Albertans and he intends to APPEAR to be on their side when he knows full well that the referendum is a show, a distraction and, ultimately, a waste of time and money. Remember Stephen Harper's persistent noise on Senate reform? Harper knew all along that it will take a constitutional amendment to change anything about the Senate but he also knew his voters would never look into it. The result was years of lucrative fundraising for the party. As he said in an email about the Duffy affair when a staffer suggested they just tell the truth - that the Senate rules are so lax Duffy will get away with it - "We can't expect our base to understand every rule of the Senate". I'm quoting from memory but I think Harper's attitude to his own base is clear.
Trudeau did change the way the Senate was being appointed by bringing in his so called "Independent" Senators. (I use the word independent very, very, loosely). He even put in one for Alberta yesterday, that he himself hand picked. He did so because Kenney said that we elect our Senators in Alberta so the people have a say who is sent to Ottawa to represent us. Trudeau does not believe in Democracy at all and in fact is working hard to destroy Canada's. Trudeau appointed four more Senators as well, so he can really stack the Senate to push through his Bills to end free speech for Canadians. The man and his party are a walking horror show for any democracy. His great admiration for China is more than just an admiration, he is walking in their footsteps with his new Stake Holder Capitalism. This is exactly what China has. The Government lets the businesses use the capital markets but they control the businesses and all the money. Are you catching on to what you are doing to this country by backing this Government? Doubtful. He will own you and every other Canadian! You will have nothing, own nothing, and you will be happy. If you think its a Conspiracy theory or a joke, I look forward to your surprise when you have a Communist country dictating your every move. Your already in it.
I'd suggest that having an elected Senate is a bad idea. Right now the Senate can't really hold up legislation passed by the House of Commons: not being elected, they don't have the legitimacy to override the Commons. But if the Senate is elected, you can get deadlock between the Commons and the Senate.
It's really the provincial premiers who have the power to represent regional interests. Since there's only 10 provinces, the premiers have more power in Canada than governors do in the US.
With an elected senate they could not stack it or our Supreme Court as Trudeau is doing. An elected Senate would be a Senate voted in by the people to represent the best interests of the people. Its called democratic. . You are also wrong on our Provincial Governments as with in the Constitution to which they all signed, they did have power over their own resources but the Communist Trudeau removed those when he became the Lord over all Canada. Trudeau danced on the Constitution and removed their rights with his regulatory regime. So it appears that the Premiers have control over the Provincial Health Care, whoops, no because if Trudeau does not like what they do he withholds transfer payments. You see the Provincial Governments only have control over the money Trudeau hands them as he has the power to give (like he does continually to Quebec) and to take away (as he continually does to Alberta) The Federal Government, even as a minority Government, has more power than the President of the United States. We are under the British Colonial Governing system as is our Parliament. Here I thought you were informed only to find your just as uninformed as the next guy.
I can't claim to be especially informed! I think that the premier of Alberta - elected by one of Canada's four largest provinces, one of the fastest-growing and the wealthiest - does have a lot of power. I thought Notley used that power effectively, getting TMX approved and underway by supporting climate policy, while Kenney has been less effective, sinking $1.3B into KXL only to see it fail.
I used to live in Edmonton, and still have family and friends in Alberta, so I'm sympathetic: Alberta's suffered a lot from the post-2014 crash in oil prices. https://russilwvong.com/blog/alberta-and-national-unity/
Sorry Russil Wvong. I was disappointed as usually you are informed and I enjoy reading what you write. I will read more of your blog as at least you are trying to be fair. Most people just slam Alberta as whiners and denounce the entire Province. Although some information is correct you leave out much of the reason for the complete divestment in the Oilsands which belongs to Trudeau's regulatory regime and his policies, not just the price drop. The Oil companies emptied out of Alberta like buffalo over a cliff once Trudeau began revamping the resource regulations as he wanted complete control over what Alberta could do with its resources. Hence we no longer have any control over our resources as was written in Canada's Constitution. Then we had Bill C49, the no Tanker bill he passed which was not only unconstitutional but it was evil. He went against the recommendations of the Senate as they too thought it was penalizing to only one Province and its resource. There was also his Bill C69, the no more pipeline bill, again, against one Province's resources and the Constitution but done anyway with no revision. These are important facts that keep getting left out of all news and communications. Trudeau came after Alberta with a vengeance and a hatred like no other and he openly declared war on the Province shortly after his election. He announced that they would be phasing out the oilsands. The very idea that he as Prime Minister was not only proudly announcing this but knowing that the Provinces had control over their own resources. This was put in the Constitution his father brought in after the first attempt to take the oilsands under his socialist regime. You see the apple does not fall too far from the tree. You also did not put in the blog that BC also went against our Constitution by doing every thing possible to stop Trans mountain from being built and yet it was Alberta that was the bad guy, again. It appears Alberta is the kicking board for the country.
Also Both Trudeau and Notley, shortly after he was elected, canceled the already green lighted Northern Gateway Pipeline and before this, he had TransCanada walk away from the planning stage of the Energy East pipeline because he changed the regulatory requirements and added impossible upstream and downstream emissions at the last minute. Trudeau and his mainstream (you scratch my back, and I will scratch yours )media like to paint a more glorified picture and so they always tell a version making him the hero and hide the villainy of his actions. His absolute hatred of Alberta and Albertan's is obvious and he glorifies in every bit of destruction he can bring. I mean that whole heartedly. If anyone wonders why Albertan's despise this Government, its not rocket science and the media feeds off Trudeaus hatred and pushes it out to the public to ensure Alberta is the bad guy for all of Canada to hate, we are just a bad actor of a Province. Canada is a joke and I mean that truly and anyone who considers this a country is insane. This will be Trudeaus Post National State under the Chinese's state Capitalism with complete control over its people. That is where they are taking us. Trudeau himself has said this. Canadians did not even blink an eye, That's frightening to me and it should be to anyone with any common sense who loves freedom.
I think it's so fascinating to see comments like "the modern conservative is big on manipulating the low-information voter".
This is hardly a tactic limited to conservatism. Frankly our current government does this brilliantly from a political strategy point of view. Where they differ from Conservatives is in the delivery. Liberals are great at concealing it, whereas Conservatives, to their detriment, are pretty blatant about it. More than anything I think that hurts them with the average voter...
Of course all politicians do this but it has become a first choice for the "conservative movement" types. You're right that they don't try to dress it up at all. They are proud of it. Kenney knows full well that the referendum is a fraud and is willing to spend time and taxpayer dollars to trick people. It can work very well with gullible people (see: a couple of posts on this thread). It's a tactic that ultimately has negative repercussions including the erosion of civil discourse. A good example is Kenney's Allan Report (https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/07/30/analysis/clear-their-names-jason-kenney) which is minor compared to the "Stop the Steal" cancer to the south of us.
The National Observer. Really? No bias what so ever for anyone to find there. Please at least pick a paper that is blatantly not written by and for environmentalists.
Speaking of the low informed voters we have people that actually believe the mainstream media. Why are people so worried about Alberta having a referendum on equalization if nothing can ever come of bringing it forward? If truly nothing can be changed by a referendum then why does it bother so many to have one? What is the worst to come from it? Waste? Is that why Trudeau is so angry at Alberta now? Well we could look at our Federal Liberal Government if we care to discuss waste. Just look at the deficit, and what we have to show for it besides indebting generations of citizens for Trudeaus new Post National State. Now Trudeau is holding another Federal Election soon and we just had one 2 years ago. These elections cost the taxpayers millions and he plans it in the middle of a new wave. Coincidence? Concealing, my god a blind man with a stick could see that coming miles away. Unless you happen to be a low informed voter that is. My god the man is a walking advertisement for complete corruption of democracy, the destruction of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and our Constitution not to mention meddling in our judicial system. Of course being a low informed voter who gets their news from the CBC you probably missed that part mostly because Trudeau's paid mains stream media does little or no reporting on it. Not that Liberal voters can read. Even the lowest informed voters know that it is low lives peddling Liberal propaganda far more than being news. The mainstream media fixate on Conservatives so that is why its more than apparent what they are doing. Why should they not be open and transparent, and say exactly what they are doing, that was to be the virtues of the new open and transparent Liberal Government of Canada. I am sure I heard that come straight from Justin Trudeau's mouth. They media try to conceal the corruption or just don't report it but If you have an eye on politics, then you know the difference. I can list every transgression and would be willing to gladly put them in numerical order for you by date and the transgression incurred from Trudeau against the Canadian people. Every single straight to our faces lie. I can tell them all to you and even some you most likely did not see on the evening news. Those who vote for the Liberals are the actual uniformed voters and it has nothing to do with Trudeau and his Government being able to conceal anything its the media doing so. The Liberals are corrupt to the core and yet your all worried about Albertan's having a vote on a referendum for equalization. Imagine that.
It's pretty fascinating to hear the reasoning behind Christy Clark's decision to go ahead with the HST referendum in BC. As a technocratic voter, I thought the outcome (rejection of the HST) was terrible. Even from a short-term perspective, BC ended up having to repay $1.6 billion to Ottawa (about $400 per person). https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-irons-out-plan-to-repay-ottawa-16-billion-in-hst-funding/article1358112/
Yes indeed. Skip the referendum.