LYTLE: Alberta facing a big moment in history, maybe

Nicholas Cresswell was a young English farmer who between 1774 and 1777, kept a diary of his life in the English, pre-revolutionary colonies of the United States. It is replete with interesting anecdotes and musings based on his observations and conversations with a wide spectrum of colonial leaders and recent immigrants. Cresswell was adamantly opposed to the “grassroots insurrection” and supported the British cause to the extent that some considered him a spy.Sometimes, “… in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…” Cresswell witnessed the birth of a Big Idea. Are we potentially witnessing the birth of another Big Idea? .For clarity, I am not making an argument for or against Alberta independence, statehood or the provincial status quo. My interest is in the importance of the historical moment in which we find ourselves, and not the outcome of a full vetting of the Big Idea.Will Albertans recognize the importance of this moment in history and, if we do, how will we deal with it? I believe that the Canadian confederation was founded on a mercantilist model of economics and governance. That is, Sir John A. Macdonald negotiated a trade union of the provinces in which the resource-producing regions were organized to enrich the Laurentian regions of the country. The provinces serve the center. The proposal was soundly rejected by delegates from Atlantic Canada who didn’t like the mercantilist basis of the proposal. Atlantic Canada was later brought on board by importunities fair and foul. Amendments which were promised to them, didn’t make it into the final British North America Act. Imagine that. The formation of Canada was a “Big Idea.” It is of historical interest that the driving force for the Big Idea was fear that the recently retired American Union Army would point its muskets north rather than south and Canada would be invaded. The Americans drove us to it.So, Canada was founded on mercantilist principles and was created due to implied pressure from the US.Other political entities that were founded on mercantilist principles included the 13 English colonies of North America themselves. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, quoted above, to dissolve the bands based on unhappiness with those mercantilist principles. England was demanding too much in taxes and not giving the colonies representation in their application.Does this sound familiar? Consider this…In the past week, Mr. Poilievre, the Conservative leader of Canada said that he sees no reason to renegotiate the equalization formula. .HANNAFORD: If Pierre won't tackle equalization, what is he offering the West?.His statement is a pretty good update of what King George III told the American colonists. Mr. Poilievre is not being mean or bowing to Laurentian pressure. If my assessment is correct, then he is making a statement generally in keeping with the principles of Canada’s constitution. Our confederation is mercantilist. We do what the center wants. We can whine about it, or we can grapple with the Big Idea. I argue that we should gather information (what is Mr. Trump’s offer to Albertans and how does Laurentia respond) and then grapple with the Big Idea. Again, it is the grappling that holds my attention and not the result of the grappling. The result will be determined by a majority of Alberta citizens as per the Clarity Act, and I will be happy with what they decide. I will not be happy if we allow the opportunity to pass us by because we are afraid of bold action to doggedly follow the Big Idea.Is talk about Big Ideas seditious? Of course not. The people who will control the outcome of a discussion of the Big Idea will be the Laurentians. They will have to counter a US offer made in good faith. The terms of their counteroffer will determine the longevity of our confederation and not the willingness of Albertans to look at options. Think of it this way. Canada was not formed by heart symbols and unicorns. The offer from Sir John A. to the provinces was entirely transactional. You do this, Ottawa does that. We remain connected by our transactions, not floating heart symbols from our sui-socked prime minister and premiers from other provinces who would enthusiastically lay waste to the Alberta economy.I understand why politicians do not want to pursue the Big Idea. For the record, I agree with how our premier is handling the threat of US tariffs and the greater threat of a knee-jerk “Team Canada” response. But who wants to go down in history as the one who destroyed confederation? Sedition was an argument used in 1775 too. That is why the American War of Independence was largely driven by pub owners and small farmers rather than politicians. Politicians hate Big Ideas, and we are generally better off when that is the case. Otherwise, we get the socialist policies of Pierre Trudeau and his son Justin.Big Ideas are scary. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence and sent Sir John A. Macdonald off to London were taking significant personal risks. That is why today we remember their names and not that of Nicholas Cresswell. Let’s make sure our politicians have our support and push them to investigate the Big Idea.

LYTLE: Alberta facing a big moment in history, maybe

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