A new initiative called the.Free Alberta Strategy Group (FASG) was launched Tuesday with a goal of freeing the province “from Ottawa’s overbearing control and restore self-determination for all Albertans.”.The FASG is a joint initiative between the Alberta Institute and former Airdrie MLA and lawyer, Rob Anderson. They will be promoting themselves across the province in various town halls, meetings with politicians and community leaders, and through various media platforms and other initiatives..Prominent U of C political scientist Barry Cooper is also on board along with constitutional lawyer Derek From..The Alberta Institute is an independent, libertarian-minded, public policy think tank that aims to advance personal freedom and choice in Alberta..In an interview with the Western Standard, Anderson said it was the results of last week’s election that convinced them to move forward..“Clearly after the last election the country is completely broken,” said Anderson, noting the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau continues to attack the Alberta energy industry..Their platform includes many of the things demanded by Alberta’s Fair Deal panel..Anderson said plans from the panel were likely stalled by the pandemic, but it’s now time to move on before Alberta becomes a “have-not” province..“Basically we want what Quebec already has,” Anderson said..And his group hasn’t ruled out the separation factor but added talks of that are “premature right now..“Alberta needs to grow up and control our own destiny.”.The group has two key objectives: establishing complete provincial legislative sovereignty within Canada and ending equalization and net federal transfers out of Alberta..The group wants the introduction of an Alberta Sovereignty Act, which would grant the Alberta Legislature absolute discretion to “refuse to enforce any piece of federal legislation or judicial decision that intrudes on Alberta’s provincial rights, or that unfairly attack the interests of Alberta’s people,” according to their website..The.FASG also wants to create an Alberta Provincial Police force, replacing the RCMP in rural Alberta and municipalities without an established local police force, accountable to Alberta’s Solicitor General..The group also wants the introduction of an Alberta Independent Banking Act, which would expand the number of provincially regulated financial institutions across Alberta..The FASG also wants an Alberta Judicial Independence Act put in place which would empower the provincial government to make all future judicial appointments..On the financial side, the group wants Alberta to negotiate its own trade deals with other provinces and countries..It would end equalization and bring in an Alberta Revenue Agency to collect all provincial taxes, and recover equalization and net transfers confiscated by the federal government by collecting a portion of all federal income tax revenue at source..The group calls for the creation of an Alberta Pension Plan and establish an Alberta Unemployment Insurance plan..You can read the group’s entire strategy here.
