All Things AB Separatism (split fm Liberal Minority Government 2025 - ???)

[Brad Sallows]

Once the basic question was going to a referendum, I doubt the incremental cost of additional questions on the ballot added much. The basic question was important enough to go to a referendum and not be left to the vagaries of opinion polls.

The separatists had their democratic process and lost convincingly, although I find their support higher than I would have hoped. That should approximately end the issue as a serious discussion; undoubtedly noise will continue. I doubt the UCP will become a vehicle for a separatist party; if it does, I doubt it will last.

The additional questions which would require implementation powers outside the scope of the province might provide some fodder for federal-provincial discussion, but can mostly be ignored except as indicators of dissatisfactions which might be productively addressed somehow.

Everywhere else in Canada except QC I suppose separatist sentiment to be lower. This was the high water mark, short of any currently unimaginable outrageous impositions by the federal government on provinces or regions. I doubt QC sentiment right now approaches what it was for the prior two referenda.

Hopefully people will be able to talk about separation issues in future without some of those on the "remain" side losing their collective nut; "leavers" will probably still be irrationally impassioned.

 

[HavokFour]

98% reported now.

1-5 are a solid yes, 6-9 have flipped to no.

Unofficial Results - 2026 Referendum

 

[The Bread Guy]

98% reported now.

1-5 are a solid yes, 6-9 have flipped to no.

Unofficial Results - 2026 Referendum

Slim in some cases, but not much appetite for wrestling with the Constitution, it appears.

 

[ArmyRick]

One thing that gets on my nerves, I see this happening again and again. It was not just one question.

Many people outside Alberta didn't seem to understand there was one BIG question, should there be a referendum to separate and the other nine questions.

So stupid lazy comments like "No to the nine" struck me as slogany rather than thinking about it.

Some of these questions were very close, a few no contest. That tells me that many in Alberta have no intention NOW of leaving Canada but they have serious concerns on the senate, immigration, healthcare, etc. And this should be taken as a warning for Ottawa to heed (I suspect they know most of this).

If some in power just blow this off as "we won, who cares, business as usual" then be cautioned, the next time (in 5 years or 20 or whenever), you might see a much larger separation movement. With far more political power behind it.

 

[lenaitch]

I have a really hard time imagining the average resident getting worked up, let alone having an informed opinion on the operation of the Senate (which costs the province not a dime) or how superior court judges are selected.

The liberal use of the phrase "do you agree" to open most of the questions is hardly the most neutral way to form a question. Anybody who has sat in the witness box being questioned by defence counsel know the trap.

 

[ArmyRick]

Rather than point fingers at Danielle or Uncle Mark or Keith Wilson looking for blame, I have a bigger concern. As for Jeff Rath (even the other separatist can't stomach him) let the law suits and legal challenges make him go away. He is in hot water and his big mouth is not gonna help.

On a personal note, please stop insulting those who were looking for a referendum on separation. They are obviously having huge issues with what is going on.

Where should we go from here? What do we do? Or do we just blow this off as "we won, who cares, business as usual"?

First on senate. I whole heartedly agree our whole senate structure is severely OUTDATED and if the attitude is "well it opens up the constitution and it won't happen/shouldn't happen", therefor don't bother. Well guys, we deserve to see more problems. Not Just Alberta Separation but expect Quebec and possibly others watching what is going on, including First nations to look to shake things up. In short, the worst COA is Canada ceases to exist eventually and it won't need a single American to do it. We will do it ourselves.

I wouldn't mind seeing an age breakdown of who voted what way in this and the urban/rural divide.

I personally think the senate needs to be reformed. I think it would be fair to have 5-10 senators (equal amount) representing each province, and half as many representing each territory (they are way smaller). Have some electoral measures to select them (like maybe a PR rep based on how the MPs are elected each province or directly electing them or directly elect them).

Now this may rub some the wrong way. Why is PEI still a province? Its smaller than many cities in Canada. I would advocate for merging it with NS or NB. Probably hurt feelings but hey didn't someone say "Nostalgia is not a strategy"? What real practical reason is for their for PEI to be its own province other than historical? They certainly don't need 4 senators.

Changes, transformations, amendments, etc are a way of life. And not changing anything because a few will find it upsetting is not a way forward.

Doing nothing and blow this all off? Then we will reap what we sow.

 

[MilEME09]

Oh look the wolves are eating each other

 

[daftandbarmy]

Oh look the wolves are eating each other

View attachment 102750

 

[lenaitch]

Rather than point fingers at Danielle or Uncle Mark or Keith Wilson looking for blame, I have a bigger concern. As for Jeff Rath (even the other separatist can't stomach him) let the law suits and legal challenges make him go away. He is in hot water and his big mouth is not gonna help.

On a personal note, please stop insulting those who were looking for a referendum on separation. They are obviously having huge issues with what is going on.

Where should we go from here? What do we do? Or do we just blow this off as "we won, who cares, business as usual"?

First on senate. I whole heartedly agree our whole senate structure is severely OUTDATED and if the attitude is "well it opens up the constitution and it won't happen/shouldn't happen", therefor don't bother. Well guys, we deserve to see more problems. Not Just Alberta Separation but expect Quebec and possibly others watching what is going on, including First nations to look to shake things up. In short, the worst COA is Canada ceases to exist eventually and it won't need a single American to do it. We will do it ourselves.

I wouldn't mind seeing an age breakdown of who voted what way in this and the urban/rural divide.

I personally think the senate needs to be reformed. I think it would be fair to have 5-10 senators (equal amount) representing each province, and half as many representing each territory (they are way smaller). Have some electoral measures to select them (like maybe a PR rep based on how the MPs are elected each province or directly electing them or directly elect them).

Now this may rub some the wrong way. Why is PEI still a province? Its smaller than many cities in Canada. I would advocate for merging it with NS or NB. Probably hurt feelings but hey didn't someone say "Nostalgia is not a strategy"? What real practical reason is for their for PEI to be its own province other than historical? They certainly don't need 4 senators.

Changes, transformations, amendments, etc are a way of life. And not changing anything because a few will find it upsetting is not a way forward.

Doing nothing and blow this all off? Then we will reap what we sow.

None of what I said supports the Senate as it stands; either abolish or reform it. However, other than its cost, I'm curious how it fit in as a matter of grand importance in the eyes of the Alberta government.

Parliamentary or senate representation aside, what turns on whether or not PEI, or any other province, has provincial status? This seems to be a particularly Canadian angst. There are those who feel Toronto and northern Ontario should be on their own.

 

[ArmyRick]

There are those who feel Toronto

I can support that!

 

[ArmyRick]

None of what I said supports the Senate as it stands; either abolish or reform it. However, other than its cost, I'm curious how it fit in as a matter of grand importance in the eyes of the Alberta government.

Parliamentary or senate representation aside, what turns on whether or not PEI, or any other province, has provincial status? This seems to be a particularly Canadian angst. There are those who feel Toronto and northern Ontario should be on their own.

Its kind of what I am getting at. there are no easy answers. I think its a serious discussion we need to have as a nation.

 

[HavokFour]

Oh look the wolves are eating each other

View attachment 102750

Grab yourselves a cold beverage and snacks.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2113413554770681859

https://twitter.com/x/status/2113434996283441440

 

[Furniture]

Now this may rub some the wrong way. Why is PEI still a province? Its smaller than many cities in Canada. I would advocate for merging it with NS or NB. Probably hurt feelings but hey didn't someone say "Nostalgia is not a strategy"? What real practical reason is for their for PEI to be its own province other than historical? They certainly don't need 4 senators.

Ah yes... Exactly what a thread about regional alienation needs, someone from outside telling others their governance structure should cease to exist, because it displeases someone not involved in it.

You want a PEI Separatist movement? Because this is how you get a PEI Separatist movement...

 

[RangerRay]

Oh look the wolves are eating each other

View attachment 102750

Ummm… I haven’t been paying close attention to the minutae of the drama of this outfit, but is it odd that the APP board made this decision almost a month ago yet didn’t announce it till after the referendum?

Very transparent…

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Ah yes... Exactly what a thread about regional alienation needs, someone from outside telling others their governance structure should cease to exist, because it displeases someone not involved in it.

You want a PEI Separatist movement? Because this is how you get a PEI Separatist movement...

But would anyone really notice a PEI Separatist movement?

 

[dapaterson]

But would anyone really notice a PEI Separatist movement?

The lack of redheads and potatoes would be the first sign.

 

[brihard]

The lack of redheads and potatoes would be the first sign.

They would still need to sell their potatoes on the market. They’re a commodity.

As for the redheads, that may be the sole (if not soul) compelling argument against revisiting the constitutional arrangement.

 

[dapaterson]

They would still need to sell their potatoes on the market. They’re a commodity.

As for the redheads, that may be the sole (if not soul) compelling argument against revisiting the constitutional arrangement.

I'm pretty sure we'd see Russian shadow fleets exporting PEI potatoes.

 

[Blackadder1916]

They would still need to sell their potatoes on the market. They’re a commodity.

As for the redheads, that may be the sole (if not soul) compelling argument against revisiting the constitutional arrangement.

They might have better luck marketing redheads.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-potato-wart-found-9.7205170

Potato wart detected on P.E.I. farm for the first time in 3 years​

Potato wart has been detected in a soil sample on a P.E.I. farm for the first time since 2023.

The sample was part of annual potato field testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which said in a statement it was conducting an investigation.

The CFIA said the detection is limited to one field and there is no evidence of spread. It also said the farm where the detection occurred primarily produces seed potatoes only for its farm, and the resulting potatoes are used for on-Island processing.

. . .

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-potato-exports-united-states-rule-changes-9.7324307

United States introduces new rules surrounding P.E.I. potato exports​

U.S. Department Agriculture says detection of potato wart on an Island farm in May prompted the changes

There are new rules around potato exports from Prince Edward Island to the United States.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it made the changes in response to the detection of potato wart fungus in a soil sample from a P.E.I. farm in May. The sample was taken as part of annual testing of Island potato fields.

The new rules, which take effect Oct. 5, will affect U.S. facilities that import bulk shipments of potatoes from P.E.I. for processing, packaging and repackaging.

Potato waste will no longer be permitted for use as animal feed and must be disposed of at an approved site.

Other changes include improving labelling requirements, strengthening certification standards for P.E.I. potatoes prior to export and prohibiting the use of Island spuds that are imported as seed potatoes.

The U.S. agency said in a news release that managing generated potato waste will "significantly reduce the risk of introducing potato wart disease to the United States."

"As a result, the updated Import Federal Order will require any U.S. facility receiving and processing, packaging, or repackaging such bulk shipments to operate under a facility-specific compliance agreement," the release states.

"APHIS is also prohibiting the use of cull potatoes and potato waste as animal feed and requiring disposal of waste at an approved site."

 

[mariomike]

There are those who feel Toronto and northern Ontario should be on their own.

Would Queen's Park ever allow a city of 3,025,647 ( July, 2022 ) self-governance?

With 2.6 million residents as of 2016, the City of Toronto is more populous than six provinces: namely, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. With a population of over 6 million, the Greater Toronto Area is more populous than those six, as well as Alberta and British Columbia.

The Province of Toronto would become the second smallest in Canada by area, larger only than Prince Edward Island, whose area is 5,660 km2, but would become the third most populous province in Canada only after Quebec and the resized Ontario.

If the boundaries were redefined to also include the adjacent city of Hamilton to turn the contiguous Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area into the new province of Toronto, it would supersede the resized province of Ontario as the 2nd largest province by population.

And, Ottawa , and the other provinces, would also have to go along with it.

Even separating 243 square miles of real estate from a province of 415,518 square miles would require an amendment to the Constitution of Canada. The constitutional amendment would require resolutions from the House of Commons of Canada and the. Senate of Canada and resolutions from the legislative bodies of 7 of the provinces representing at least 50% of the population of Canada.

As far as Alberta politics are concerned, my mother and sister are eligible to vote in their elections.

I'm not. So, good luck to them whatever they decide.