My wife and I voted early and then spent the election writ period visiting our grandchildren in the United States and being shocked by the low prices for things like gasoline, milk, eggs, vegetables and just-about-everything else. We were still out of the country when the results of the vote were tabulated on that fateful Monday evening. The point is, understanding life sometimes depends upon the perspective from which life is observed. Here is one perspective from the sidelines of the battle.Did Pierre Poilievre run a tentative and uninspired campaign that conflated the size of crowds with the probability of success? That is almost certainly true. Did Mr. Carney steal his platform? Yes. Did Mr. Trump have an outsized influence on the election? Yes. .But refusing to address Canadians from the very large pulpits of conservative American podcasters seems myopic and a wilful refusal to take chances. Nevertheless, he continues to be my choice for leader, and I hope he surrounds himself with a more adventurous campaign team should there be future Canadian elections which solicit my vote. But realistically, what did we expect given that he has spent his career in government institutions which prioritize “doing things the way we have always done things”? Maybe, influenced by a new western constituency and with soreness from his spanking, his campaign style will come to match his remarkable ability to handle an antagonistic press..Many people are lamenting the fact that our premier is not “coming out strongly for independence.” As an Albertan who supports the need for a referendum on independence to obtain negotiating leverage, I am glad that she is not getting involved in the organization of the referendum. The minute she overtly involves herself is the moment the power of the referendum fight dissipates. The opposition will focus on the premier and not on the reasons for the referendum and an entirely new divisive fight will break out.When I am forced to go shopping with my wife, I have one role to play. I am there to arbitrate between options. When someone makes an expensive purchase, he or she implicitly wants to make their purchase based on a range of options. Should it be a car or truck or van? Should it be red, blue, white or grey? Should it be a new vehicle or a used vehicle? Should the dress be floor length or mid-calf? Should it have sleeves or be strapless? We want to make important decisions in the context of multiple options. As it is with trivial decisions, so it is with vital decisions.That is the point of a referendum. The views of the premier and the Leader of the Opposition are largely irrelevant to the options required for negotiating leverage. I have argued that a referendum was necessary even if Mr. Poilievre won the election. .The fight is not with a political party or parties, but it is to force changes in the constitution.Changes which cannot be made unless we carry the very large stick called independence.Changes that I don’t think will be made under any circumstances. But the possibility of these changes is an important option that must be left open.So, to be clear… independence if necessary but not necessarily independence. Some may claim that this is an argument of half measures which is fair.But from a historical perspective, which is something that will be vitally important to any reputable leader, the first step into independence must be taken by Laurentia when it refuses to make the necessary constitutional changes and not by Alberta which, it will be argued, “is wrecking the country for no good reason.” When the American secessionist states provoked war in 1861, they made the mistake of firing the first shot at Fort Sumter in Charleston harbour. That fateful shot may have prevented European countries from immediately recognizing the validity of the Confederacy, a recognition that would have been critical to its ultimate success. .It is important that Laurentia destroys Canada, and not Albertans.An important consideration in any discussion about Alberta independence is the subsequent response from Laurentia. There is real money at stake, and they are not going to shrug their shoulders and say, “ok, whatever.” They are going to fight with financial, political and “other” tools that require Albertans to gird their loins now for the incoming attacks that will undoubtedly be launched. The most potent of these attacks will be the “allowances” from Mr. Carney. We will be told that changes will be made to hated legislation. We will be told that a pipeline through Canada is now on the table. We will be told that there will be no caps on oil and gas production. We will be told that the question is not clear enough. We will be told that the referendum should be held as soon as possible. Mr. Carney will be his diplomatic best, or at least the best that his WEF managers allow him to be. There will be a vast realm of new “independence” organizations to split the effort and destroy the unity of purpose. It will be a powerful siren song designed to lure us onto rocks that will ruin the enterprise.We will know that we remain on the right track when the lovely music from Ottawa becomes a discordant barrage of threats of increasing severity..I am convinced that many people much smarter than I are looking very closely into the strategic and tactical steps to be taken to provide a road map to acquiring the big stick of independence — and ultimately independence itself when Laurentia refuses to make suitable constitutional adjustments. These leaders also seem to be looking past the referendum to the hard work of forging a new nation. It will be a minefield of difficult decisions and Albertans must coalesce around these leaders. Now is not the time for egos.We must remain clear eyed and know that a great deal is at stake. Alberta independence is the end of Canada. The end of Canada is the end of a vast fortune to be earned by Laurentia. And, as with the truckers (may they forever be blessed!) Alberta independence may break a globalist spell that is ruining many other countries around the world. It is going to be the fight of a lifetime.But this is Alberta. I am optimistic of success.
