Monte Solberg: The case for Canada
Albertans are not poor, we're not victims and Canada, flaws and all, is still one of the most admired countries in the world.
“We got Albertans to think as Canadians. We didn’t think of ourselves as just provincial, we thought of ourselves nationally and we contributed nationally —not just in public life and in government but we contributed in a multitude of other ways — the arts and culture and sports, in writing and business and science. All of those were contributions by Albertans into Canada.”
Peter Lougheed, former Premier of Alberta
“There are some things in this world worth fighting for.”
J.R.R. Tolkien
By: Monte Solberg
Our friends in the Alberta separatist camp have lost faith in the promise of Canada. They imagine that a separate Alberta would be freer, richer, better governed. They envision a conservative Disneyland separated and shutoff from Canada’s squishy liberals, progressives, hipsters and wokesters. That’s understandable. We all want more and we all want our own way.
Separatists may even have a good argument for why a separate Alberta would be more secure from foreign encroachment, though I’ve yet to hear it. Separatists have valid reasons to be angry at Canada and Canadians, but an even-handed assessment should also acknowledge Alberta’s extraordinary success in Canada and the virtues of being Canadian.
Yes, Justin Trudeau pursued policies that damaged Alberta’s economic well-being. It’s hard to overstate how deeply he is resented here, and he didn’t just hurt Alberta, his policies also stalled Canada’s economic growth for nine years. But Justin Trudeau is gone now, kicked to the curb by both Pierre Poilievre and by the Liberal party. Let’s also recall that it was only a decade before, during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s time in office, The New York Times declared that Canada had the most prosperous middle class in the world. It is dishonest to suggest Justin Trudeau’s reign is typical of the Alberta-Ottawa dynamic. Besides, Alberta always finds a way.
Albertans have a GDP per capita that’s at least 20 per cent higher than the Canadian average and according to economist Trevor Tombe, it’s higher than most American states. We get the prosperity without America’s problems. Justin Trudeau erected many barriers to oil and gas development, but despite them and him, Alberta still found a way to increase our oil exports to record levels, and that was before the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion went into service. Albertans are not poor, we’re not victims and Canada, flaws and all, is still one of the most admired countries in the world.
Now we face new challenges. Donald Trump’s threats to absorb Canada into America united Canadians. Sure, diversity can enrich culture. It can even bolster our economy, but our greatest strength is not diversity, it is unity, a shared vision. The Trumpian threats created a consensus that we should develop our resources to strengthen our country, to build, mine, drill, grow and trade. Public support to invest in the Canadian Forces is overwhelming. Trump’s threats shook us awake, pulled us together, sparked policy innovation and, by government standards, created urgency. Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Danielle Smith and industry leaders are collaborating to knock down restrictions on oil production and pipelines while setting realistic climate goals. Albertans and Canadians have reason to be optimistic. Separatists are offended by the thought of cooperating with the federal government. They shouldn’t be. Federal-provincial cooperation has made great contributions to Alberta’s success.
Federal support for the oil sands has been key to their development and success dating back over a century. In the mid 1990s, oil sands companies argued they needed to expense 100 per cent of the cost of equipment purchases in a single year to make the oil sands competitive. The Chrétien-Martin government granted their request in the 1996 budget, prompting a staggering $262 billion dollars in new investment between 1996 and 2015. The oil sands boomed. Alberta entrepreneurs and the Alberta Government drove the development of the oil sands, but Ottawa’s contribution was vital.
Separatists argue that Albertans pay more than our share in federal taxes, which is true. We are fortunate to have the highest incomes in Canada, so like high income earners everywhere in Canada we pay more federal income tax. Our tax dollars help fund the federal Equalization Program, which transfers funds to less prosperous provinces to ensure that their citizens can get access to quality health care, education and the social safety net. It’s also true that Albertans still pay much less in total taxes than anywhere else in Canada. The Equalization formula needs reform, but it is nonsensical to cite it as a reason to leave Canada.
After all, Canada isn’t only about opportunity and a world-leading quality of life or the constitution, laws, democracy, human rights and freedoms. It’s also about the warmth and decency of the Canadian people. Money, the constitution, officialdom or parliamentary proclamation cannot extend the hand of friendship or mourn, worship, laugh or sacrifice with us. That falls to regular people as they mingle in coffee shops, churches, schools, charities, offices, stores and on the shop floor. When our soldiers ship out to fight, we don’t hold back support because they aren’t from our province. We are all Canadians. When our athletes win an Olympic medal, we cheer regardless of their hometown. When we step outside our borders, we are Canadians. We’d lose all of that in a separate Alberta. And imagine a world where Albertans would need a passport to see grand-children in Regina or Vancouver.
Separatists believe that an Alberta that focuses only on Alberta can keep out corrupting progressive beliefs and influences. They advocate retreating to the conservative heartland, but Alberta can never succeed by shrinking and turning inward. Advancing Alberta’s interests means looking outward. It means planting our feet and fighting first for an Alberta vision and values in a strong and united Canada, and then beyond our borders. We need to paint a better vision, make better arguments, find new partners and allies, shape policy and win elections. Alberta’s success lies in collaboration and in helping Canadians see Canada’s stunning potential in a world thirsty for our energy, resources and ingenuity.
Monte Solberg writes from the Alberta badlands. He is a former Conservative MP and served as cabinet minister under Prime Minister Harper and is now the CEO of New West Public Affairs
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Very good article Mr. Solberg. So nice to hear someone who has a clear head and is not parroting the “ poor me “ argument that independence is the best and only solution. Canada is a great country and we should all be working together to keep it great.
Blame shifting and scapegoating has been an Alberta Conservative family value for generations. What has been ignored is the vast sums of money which was squandered away on very substantial boondoogles for ages, by none other than the Conservatives in this province. Peter Lougheed's rainy day savings vanished. The oil booms went into a bust, and here we are. Justin Trudeau isn't at fault for Saudi Arabia and Russia deciding they were going to make oil prices collapse the year before he became prime minister. Albertans do not pay more than their fair share of federal taxes, because the federal tax rate is the same across Canada. Currently, there is a rise in oil prices, but that is due to a bloody war caused by the US president, DJT. Leave it to the UCP to flush it down the drain, while the misinformed point their fingers elsewhere. These separatists are very lost.