EDMONTON — Renew Alberta President Matthew Rowley believes that the fact that Albertans cannot hold a "yes" or "no" referendum on independence in October is an example of how overpowered the courts in Canada have become, and why Alberta's best future is outside the country."The court system and the government is so messed up that this is the kind of malarkey we have to go through to ask Albertans an honest question to get the democratic opinion of everybody in Alberta," said Rowley in an interview with the Western Standard. "It shows the core brokenness of Alberta's relationship with Ottawa, and why we can't actually fix things from within the constitution, when the government can't ask a question of its own people, and when a citizens' initiative can be stopped because some judge decides it's unconstitutional to ask a question." .Renew Alberta, an Alberta independence advocacy group, believes that power has shifted from elected officials to unelected judges and that an independent Alberta is needed to restore a proper balance within a Westminster system. "We see over and over again that the charter has been used as a weapon to force a very progressive and, frankly, a destructive agenda upon Canada," Rowley said to the Western Standard in March.This power imbalance left Smith with no choice but to call a policy referendum on Alberta's independence after Justice Shaina Leonard dismissed Stay Free Alberta's constitutional petition, finding that the Government of Alberta had failed to fulfill its duty to consult First Nations groups. "I am frustrated," Rowley said. "I wish that it could be so simple, but it is true that the courts would have tied it up, and we would have had no referendum question. Full stop. Period.""So, yes, it's frustrating, but we need to channel that frustration into recognizing that this is the problem. This is the Canada that we asked for, or that we have currently, and we need to get out of this Canada." .Channelling frustration has been a topic of contention among Alberta independence groups ever since Smith introduced the referendum question on Thursday. Many have called for a UCP leadership review and Smith's removal as party leader because she did not give them a "yes" or "no" vote, while others claim they should just focus on winning the referendum and securing a direct referendum in the future. Rowley understands those who are frustrated by not getting a direct vote in October, but said getting distracted from the referendum in front of them will lead to defeat."So, if we divide our attentions, divide the movement, have half of us going after the Premier, the other half saying don't, if we start fragmenting just as the 'Let's stay in Canada' people are getting their feet under them, then we will lose this referendum, and it will be our fault," Rowley said. Despite disagreeing with her position on Alberta's independence, Rowley, who did not vote for Smith in the UCP leadership race, has become a Smith supporter and was won over by her directness, dedication, and seeking to do the best for all Albertans. "Until the day when Premier Smith stands up and says, 'Albertans, you have no right to have a voice,' then we have to trust that the premier is doing as she says," Rowley said. "She has said she's trying to do her best for everybody, and we have to give her a bit of credit."Beyond the referendum, there are concerns that coming after Smith could result in a conservative vote split and an Alberta NDP government, as happened in 2015 when the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose Party split the vote. "We've been through this," Rowley said. "Any Albertan who went through Rachel Notley for four years should think long and hard." .Rowley, like some other influential independence advocates, believes that holding a referendum could benefit the pro-independence side, as it gives them more time to make their case and further opportunities for Ottawa to fuel their fire. "Every time we hear the news, all you have to do is turn on the news and watch as Canada slowly disintegrates around us, and the more time that we have to point to these things and say, 'Hey, look, this isn't about whether Alberta is going to break up Canada. This is about whether we pull the rip cord before the plane hits the mountain, and that's the choice that we have,'" Rowley said.As for making their case, Rowley said his group want Albertans to understand that leaving Canada does not have to mean a drastic change, but rather a return to a foundation built on responsible government and a true Westminster system. "We're going to be working hard to show people that independence is not about destroying everything you know, it's just about severing the ties with Ottawa," Rowley said. "It doesn't mean hatred towards the rest of Canada; it just means a different relationship."
