Let Albertans decide. Vote YES for Option 1.
On October 19, Albertans will be asked to vote on a crucial question – whether to remain in Canada or start the process for another vote to separate. Driving around St. Albert, I’ve spotted several big signs saying, “Let Albertans decide. Vote option 2.”
Sounds so easy doesn’t it? Let Albertans decide. Of course. That’s what referendums are for. But voting for option 2? That’s not deciding. That’s just kicking the can down the road so we go through months if not years with the spectre of separatism hanging over our heads. And it keeps our government focused on separatism rather than things that really matter to Albertans – making life more affordable, having a health system that delivers the timely care Albertans need, giving our kids the best possible education.
Then there are those who say, I don’t really want to separate. I just want to send a message to Ottawa. That’s a dangerous game to play. Because it’s not Ottawa that will decide whether Alberta has a binding referendum on separation. It’s our own provincial government, along with many of its own party members who actively or quietly support separatism.
The October 19 referendum is not a bluff. I’ve played poker in the past and I’m lousy at bluffing because it means convincing the other players that you really do have a winning hand. Separation is not a winning hand. As Dr. Jared Wesley puts it, “You don’t push all your chips into the middle of the table while whispering, ‘don’t worry, I’ve got nothing’.”
That’s exactly the game separatists are playing. Trying to convince you there’s nothing to lose by voting for option 2, that it will give us leverage in negotiating a better deal with Ottawa. But that is masking their real agenda. The separatists aren’t looking for a better deal with Canada. They want out. And they’re misleading us by suggesting voting for option 2 isn’t really a vote for separation.
As part of a group called Before You Vote (beforevoting.ca), I’ve read, analyzed and listened to countless studies, articles and stories about what the impact of separation would be. Nothing has convinced me there is any advantage or any reason for Alberta to separate. In fact, the costs would be enormous, not only the costs of setting up a new country and the damaging impact separation would have on our economy but in countless other ways. Polls show thousands of people would choose to leave Alberta. We’d lose investment, start-up businesses would find more secure places to get established, many existing businesses say they would move to other provinces, and established national and international trade agreements would get thrown out the window. And the worst possible outcome? We become a sitting duck waiting for a US President who might be joking about the 51st state but would love Alberta’s oil and gas.
A friend of mine reminded me of Joni Mitchell’s famous line, “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” Don’t let that happen on October 19. Vote option 1 and let’s get on with making this province and this country an even better place for your children and for granddaughers like mine.