When I was a younger child, my mother would drive me crazy with her constant reminders to ensure that I had gone to the bathroom before climbing into the car. “Yes, Mommmmmm. How many times must I tell you!” would be my exasperated reply.I had an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu as I listened to our premier’s call for a referendum on nine key issues in October. I don’t want another pat on the head. I don’t want to be told yet again what fine people we Albertans are and how our instincts can be trusted. If we are indeed such paragons of civic virtue, then please get on with what you have already been told to do.Mr. Kenney promised to implement the ideas from the 2001 Harper Firewall letter. The Alberta Next panel has just completed another round of “consultations with Albertans” covering the ubiquitous Firewall letter ideas. And now you are adding a new list of topics to a proposed October referendum? Why do I feel like I am being played?How about you demonstrate the virtue of continuous appeals to the higher intelligence of the population by doing something about the results of previous appeals? Might I also suggest that the people, in their infinite wisdom, have elevated you to the premiership to get stuff done? We trust you — honest. You could start by collecting income taxes from Albertan citizens and corporations and unilaterally end equalization. That could be followed immediately with a demonstration of progress towards building an Alberta police force and a revelation of your plan to move the Alberta portion of the Canadian Pension Plan into a separate, independently managed Alberta Pension Plan. Then maybe we could get a pipeline built that doesn’t burden the oil industry with a $10 per barrel carbon tax and carbon sequestration charge..Do you really need citizens to tell you that only permanent residents should qualify for social supports, and then only a year after receiving residency? Only Alberta citizens in a referendum question have the sagacity to decide on Alberta's immigration levels? Is showing proof of citizenship to vote so controversial that you are confused about what Albertans might think? Is there ambiguity about how Albertans feel about illegal immigration? Does the government expect that Albertans want to harbour lawbreakers? Do you fear that, in our vaunted understanding, we might not want you to participate in the selection of federal court judges? You want our permission to talk to other premiers about how to manage overlapping jurisdiction and authorities with other levels of government? Isn’t that kind of… your job? If the immigration issue is so pressing, then why wait until October for a “conversation?” Based on previous appeals to the vast intelligence of Albertans, nothing will be done about these referendum results either.No, Madam Premier. You were hired to do the things that you campaigned on. If you feel that you need a mandate to take on these additional issues, you should call an election. For what it is worth, I think your original mandate easily covers the topics proposed for the October referendum, and I do not want an election. I just want you to get on with the things you have been told to get on with (see list above). If you are confused about immigration issues, how about you formulate your best plan, tell us about it, and then do it? If we are unhappy, you will find out in the next election. I guess that most of us will be happy.The less charitable have suggested that your proposed referendum is timed to interfere with the Alberta independence referendum. While this thought has certainly crossed my mind, I discount this theory. I believe that you, Madam Premier, know that such interference will benefit the independence movement rather than the Government of Alberta, and so would be counterproductive to the goal of slowing independence. The immutable laws of “soak time” always benefit the ideas that are being “soaked.”
