Four Alberta MPs are speaking out – with what they are calling their Buffalo Declaration – aimed at fixing the province’s role in Confederation..Saying “Canada is in crisis”, Michelle Rempel Garner, of Calgary Nose Hill, Blake Richards, of Banff-Airdrie, Glen Motz , of Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner, and Arnold Vierson, of Peace River released their manifesto to the Western Standard on Thursday afternoon.. buffaloBuffalo Declaration .The group said there are four main reasons why Alberta is not working within Confederation..They say Alberta has not been recognized as being culturally distinct, it has never been an equal partner, is physically and practically separated from power structures and is “treated as a colony”.. michelleMichelle Rempel GarnerMP for Calgary Nose Hill .“Our federation has reached a crossroads at which Canada must decide to move forward in equality and respect, or people in our region will look at independence from Confederation as the solution,” the four write..“We believe a Canada united in equality is in the best interests of its inhabitants. However, that is not the current state of Canadian federation. Immediate action must be taken to permanently correct inherent inequities that privilege some at the expense of others.”. blakeBlake Richards MP for Banff-Airdrie .“The economic and social challenges faced by Canada today are not the cause of the strains on our union, but rather are the symptom of the colonial power structures from which Alberta and Saskatchewan were born..“Defeating the incumbent Liberal government, or building a pipeline, will not permanently address the systemic inequities Albertans face. For confederation to be sustainable, Canada must commit to permanent nation-building structural change within its institutions of power.”. glenmotzGlen MotzMP for Medicine Hat-Cypress .The quartet has listed numerous points in order for the situation to be resolved..• Recognize Alberta is not an equal partner in Confederation..• Balanced representation in Parliament, including an elected Senate..• Recognize Alberta – or Buffalo – as a culturally distinct region within Confederation..• Acknowledge, in the House of Commons, the devastation the National Energy Program caused to the people of Alberta..• Fix the Equalization program..• Retrench and clarify free-trade provisions in Canada in the Constitution..• Constitutionally entrench resource projects as the sole domain of the provinces. .• In the event Alberta begins to collect its own taxes, enable the province to also collect federal taxes and remit the federal share to Ottawa. .• Enact structural change within Canada’s federal government to ensure all regions have a voice within its political and justice system..• Mandate regional balance in all federal infrastructure funding programs..• Mandate equitable regional distribution of funding to arts and culture as part of federal spending programs. Ensure Western art is prominently displayed in national museums..• Recognize rural areas of Western Canada are isolated from the power structures of urban Eastern Canada and face unique challenges..The Declaration continues: “The tone has changed because gains made during previous governments were erased in the first months of the current Trudeau Liberal government, and worse, more inequities have been put in place..“Therefore, we acknowledge without immediate and permanent structural change, this cycle of paternalism towards Alberta is doomed to continue. This is especially true as Eastern Canada continues to urbanize, and the divide between our way of life and the power elites of the Laurentian consensus becomes more acute.”. Arnold Viersen O PArnold Viersen MP for Peace River .“The path forward starts today. One way or another, Albertans will have equality.”.In an exclusive interview with the Western Standard, Rempel-Garner said she came to the realization after the last election something needed to be done..“After the last election it was just a case of history repeating itself. Nothing was going to change and that’s a statement of fact,” she said..She praised the three other Alberta MPs for signing onto the declaration..“A lot of people in our caucus have expressed their concerns. I think others will sign on,” she said..Asked how optimistic she was about getting the declaration accomplished, Rempel Garner said: “It has to be done.”.And any further talk about Alberta independence would depend on “how the rest of Canada reacts..“I worry about independence. Unless a clear effort is made in all of Canada to address these inequities, I think, in a very short period of time, that’s a question my constituents will be asking themselves.”.And she said it was critical that candidates in the federal Tory leadership race discuss the issue..Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall praised Rempel Garner in a tweet..The Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta also lauded Rempel-Garner..“The FCP fully supports this action and is encouraged to hear that mainstream politicians in Alberta are beginning to champion the ‘Equality or Independence’ stance. We know all to well that it takes guts to break from a party line and defy establishment politics. We support this 100 per cent,” said FCP president Bill Jones..The entire Buffalo Declaration can be read here..Dave Naylor is the News Editor on the Western Standarddnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter: Nobby7694
Four Alberta MPs are speaking out – with what they are calling their Buffalo Declaration – aimed at fixing the province’s role in Confederation..Saying “Canada is in crisis”, Michelle Rempel Garner, of Calgary Nose Hill, Blake Richards, of Banff-Airdrie, Glen Motz , of Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner, and Arnold Vierson, of Peace River released their manifesto to the Western Standard on Thursday afternoon.. buffaloBuffalo Declaration .The group said there are four main reasons why Alberta is not working within Confederation..They say Alberta has not been recognized as being culturally distinct, it has never been an equal partner, is physically and practically separated from power structures and is “treated as a colony”.. michelleMichelle Rempel GarnerMP for Calgary Nose Hill .“Our federation has reached a crossroads at which Canada must decide to move forward in equality and respect, or people in our region will look at independence from Confederation as the solution,” the four write..“We believe a Canada united in equality is in the best interests of its inhabitants. However, that is not the current state of Canadian federation. Immediate action must be taken to permanently correct inherent inequities that privilege some at the expense of others.”. blakeBlake Richards MP for Banff-Airdrie .“The economic and social challenges faced by Canada today are not the cause of the strains on our union, but rather are the symptom of the colonial power structures from which Alberta and Saskatchewan were born..“Defeating the incumbent Liberal government, or building a pipeline, will not permanently address the systemic inequities Albertans face. For confederation to be sustainable, Canada must commit to permanent nation-building structural change within its institutions of power.”. glenmotzGlen MotzMP for Medicine Hat-Cypress .The quartet has listed numerous points in order for the situation to be resolved..• Recognize Alberta is not an equal partner in Confederation..• Balanced representation in Parliament, including an elected Senate..• Recognize Alberta – or Buffalo – as a culturally distinct region within Confederation..• Acknowledge, in the House of Commons, the devastation the National Energy Program caused to the people of Alberta..• Fix the Equalization program..• Retrench and clarify free-trade provisions in Canada in the Constitution..• Constitutionally entrench resource projects as the sole domain of the provinces. .• In the event Alberta begins to collect its own taxes, enable the province to also collect federal taxes and remit the federal share to Ottawa. .• Enact structural change within Canada’s federal government to ensure all regions have a voice within its political and justice system..• Mandate regional balance in all federal infrastructure funding programs..• Mandate equitable regional distribution of funding to arts and culture as part of federal spending programs. Ensure Western art is prominently displayed in national museums..• Recognize rural areas of Western Canada are isolated from the power structures of urban Eastern Canada and face unique challenges..The Declaration continues: “The tone has changed because gains made during previous governments were erased in the first months of the current Trudeau Liberal government, and worse, more inequities have been put in place..“Therefore, we acknowledge without immediate and permanent structural change, this cycle of paternalism towards Alberta is doomed to continue. This is especially true as Eastern Canada continues to urbanize, and the divide between our way of life and the power elites of the Laurentian consensus becomes more acute.”. Arnold Viersen O PArnold Viersen MP for Peace River .“The path forward starts today. One way or another, Albertans will have equality.”.In an exclusive interview with the Western Standard, Rempel-Garner said she came to the realization after the last election something needed to be done..“After the last election it was just a case of history repeating itself. Nothing was going to change and that’s a statement of fact,” she said..She praised the three other Alberta MPs for signing onto the declaration..“A lot of people in our caucus have expressed their concerns. I think others will sign on,” she said..Asked how optimistic she was about getting the declaration accomplished, Rempel Garner said: “It has to be done.”.And any further talk about Alberta independence would depend on “how the rest of Canada reacts..“I worry about independence. Unless a clear effort is made in all of Canada to address these inequities, I think, in a very short period of time, that’s a question my constituents will be asking themselves.”.And she said it was critical that candidates in the federal Tory leadership race discuss the issue..Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall praised Rempel Garner in a tweet..The Freedom Conservative Party of Alberta also lauded Rempel-Garner..“The FCP fully supports this action and is encouraged to hear that mainstream politicians in Alberta are beginning to champion the ‘Equality or Independence’ stance. We know all to well that it takes guts to break from a party line and defy establishment politics. We support this 100 per cent,” said FCP president Bill Jones..The entire Buffalo Declaration can be read here..Dave Naylor is the News Editor on the Western Standarddnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter: Nobby7694
