EDMONTON — Alberta Federalist advocacy group, Lead not Leave, joins the fight against independence to provide solutions and test the ideas and claims of Alberta independence advocates. "The separatist crisis currently broiling in Alberta is forcing hard conversations among those of us who remain committed to keeping the province in a strong and proud Canadian Confederation," reads a letter from Lead not Leave."Hard because, frankly, we're frustrated, too. The status quo is not desirable. Yet a referendum on separation in the current circumstances is even less desirable."The group will seek to advocate for Alberta to remain in Canada through conversations, published analysis, policy briefs, media appearances, and "implementation-ready recommendations intended to help Alberta, and Canada, steer a better course.""Our goal is to address Alberta's legitimate frustrations in a way that is productive and proactive, strengthening both Canada and our province's place within it," the letter reads. "Where separatists are offering attractive ideas, we'll test them out. When their claims are rooted in wishful thinking or a retreat from grounded reality, we will call them out."Lead not Leave consists of eight individuals with diverse backgrounds, including Alberta Treasurer Jim Dinning, former Alberta Minister of Finance Trivis Towes, economics professors Andrew Leach, and policymaker Ken Boessenkool.."This province and this country can be better — the status quo is not desirable," the group's letter reads. "We don't get there by holding a divisive referendum on separation and acting as if we are at odds with one another on every issue, just as we are making progress on climate and energy policy with the MOU.""This is particularly true in light of recent court rulings on the referendum question and the serious Elections Alberta data breach. No referendum should be held with those dark clouds circling over it." Alberta independence supporters tend to criticize federalist leaders for agreeing that Canada is broken but not offering solutions to fix the problems. .Independence advocate Keith Wilson, who debated federalist supporter and former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on Monday, welcomed the addition of Lead not Leave to the conversation. "Albertans deserve a serious explanation of why our children and grandchildren will be better off under Ottawa’s control than in a free and prosperous independent Alberta," wrote Wilson in an X post on Wednesday."Federalists must now show how Canada can be made fair to Alberta when Mulroney, Harper, Manning, and Kenney could not achieve it." Lead not Leave claims they will be looking to provide the answers Albertans are looking for. "And we start by calling on the government to not hold a referendum on separation and instead focus on making the case for Alberta in Canada with a credible set of policy proposals — beginning with the progress demonstrated by the MOU — that will ensure this next generation of Albertans is leading the country, not leaving it," their letter reads.
