Prominent Alberta businessman backs more provincial autonomy over 'hard separation'

CALGARY — A prominent Alberta businessman says the independence movement is unlikely to win majority support for a proposed referendum but added that growing frustration with Ottawa’s policies is still pushing support for greater provincial autonomy.Speaking at the National Coalition of Chiefs Clean Energy Summit in Calgary on Tuesday, Michael Binnion, founder of Questerre Energy Corporation, said he doesn’t believe a “hard separation” campaign is “remotely possible” and will be unable to secure the 50% plus one vote needed to succeed if a referendum is called.“I think there could be a softer re-federation, to renegotiate more autonomy within Canada,” Binnion said.“[The] hard separatist thing just never ever gets to 50%. I think even people who believe in a lot more autonomy for provinces just wouldn't get their head around that.”.'DELAY, DELAY, DELAY:' UCP members refuse to set an expedited Forever Canadian petition review deadline.The influential businessman added that the recent floor crossings that helped the Liberal government to secure a majority government were fuel to the fire of the independence movement, as they reiterated that Albertans aren’t getting a fair deal, but stated, “don’t hate the players, hate the game.”“[People] feel democracy should mean that the person I voted for should not be crossing floors. This is driving up the vote in Alberta that wants to send a message or wants to use it as a strategic bargaining card,” he said.Binnion stated he had engaged in internal discussions with some federal ministers who expressed their concerns over Alberta sovereignty, comparing the potential volatility of the movement to Britain’s Brexit referendum.“They're taking it quite seriously,” he said.“All it takes is a few things like ‘we think this government kinda cheated, and they stole a majority.’ Enough of those things, and there's a path towards this thing winning.”.Alberta First Nations claim a misinterpretation of legislation led to a second Alberta independence petition .The remarks come as Alberta’s independence debate intensifies, with an Alberta justice recently issuing a temporary stay preventing Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer from certifying the Stay Free Alberta independence petition until a full judicial review is completed, and after organizers said earlier this month they had reached the signature threshold of roughly 177,000 signatures to trigger a referendum.At the summit, Stephen Buffalo, CEO of the Indian Resource Council, said independence efforts cannot ignore treaty rights or indigenous consultation, criticizing organizers for failing to engage First Nations communities.“These guys didn’t even come talk to us,” Buffalo said, referring to the independence movement.Buffalo said Alberta should instead focus on asserting more control within Canada, echoing Premier Danielle Smith’s oft-quoted “sovereign Alberta within a united Canada” slogan, and specifically brought up the idea of an Alberta Pension Plan (APP) as a way of doing that.“A [more] sovereign Alberta would be taking the pension plan,” Buffalo said.“I think going forward, if Alberta did that right away, you're gonna see this whole thing kinda settle down a little bit. We have to find that balance in dividing up what we think is fair for everyone.”

Prominent Alberta businessman backs more provincial autonomy over 'hard separation'

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