A Rednexit hat is already available for sale on the Wexit website. Ginned up, the crowd chants: The West wants out. Now, as did his father, Justin Trudeau must find a way to provide westerners with power. Low-income and high-income Albertans, meanwhile, enjoy the lowest taxes in the country. DATA NERD. Chief among them is Trudeaus Senate policy, which is founded upon nonpartisanship in the upper chamber, with no Liberal Senate caucus and no senators in the cabinet. RELATED:Could Chrystia Freeland save Canada? Every Canadian Province Agrees That They Hate Quebec Alberta heard not a peep from him when Encana announced last. More than 77 per cent of Albertans gave the thumbs-down to . EDMONTON Quebec is the least popular province in Confederation, according to new polling from the Angus Reid Institute. (Of those, about 57,000 earned more than $250,000.). Even where theres some love, its unrequited by Ontarians. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. How do you get Justin Trudeau to say Alberta?Quit paying equalization. Can it be fixed? Forty years and another Trudeau later, Albertans feel they're still on the outside looking in at a moment when their future is under siege. Here's total per capita federal transfers to prov govts for 2016/17. Facing a massive budget shortfall in the wake of the 2015 oil-price crash, the short-lived government of Jim Prentice introduced plans to kill the flat tax, but never passed the legislation before his Progressive Conservatives were defeated by Rachel Notley'supstartNDP. Next to pipelines, the thing Alberta Premier Jason Kenney seems to want most is a concession on Equalization, the program that redistributes $19 billion in federal revenue from richer to relatively poorer provinces, to ensure comparable levels of public services can be delivered across the country. Never mind that Goldy had showed up uninvited and offered her own rants from a cherry-picker located a block away from the main stage. Eugene Lang is assistant professor at the school of policy studies at Queens University. Alberta heard not a peep from him when Encana announced last week that it would move its headquarters from Calgary to Denver. When you watch the . Sign up for our newsletter and get a curated list of the top Perhaps Albertans would be more amenable to talking about this transition if this countrys commitment to climate change didnt seem so selective. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Email: sxthomson@postmedia.com | Twitter: stuartxthomson. Get email updates from your favourite authors. It's Albertans in the middle who don't fare as well, as you can see from the interactive chart below. (Please note, if you will, that everything east of Manitoba is considered the East to me.). That's quite a broad generalization! Then he stepped into his manic, prairie-carnival-barker patter: Everybody is behind this movement. While Canada as a whole is a gorgeous country, you'd be lying if you said you didn't have special feelings towards at least one province. Is the Alberta hate as bad in real life as it is on Reddit 2023 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. That was enough to attract the support of eight MLAs from the province. With apologies to Anne McLellan, who was tapped to be an informal advisor on Alberta to the Liberals, this lack of representation seems solely a concern to people who live in Ontario. But then so did Brexit. Ottawa isnt going to give a bunch of rednecks a fair hearing, or a fair deal. Or, at the very least, to greet the crisis playing out in this province with smug contempt. When I lived there for a year, I thought it was superior to southern Ontario (more specifically, Windsor) in many ways. Three Percenters are Canada's 'most dangerous' extremist group - CBC In 1957, the Liberals pushed through a trans-national pipeline to deliver natural gas from Alberta to central Canada after several years of delays, crises and complications. We need to manage the transition off of our dependence on fossil fuels. Meaning it might be time for Canadians to reconcile and hug it out. Whether its on here, or r/Canada, or r/BritishColumbia or any other non-Albertan sub. It is very much a story of unrequited love in different parts of the country, said Kurl. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Not only are Canadians surprisingly willing to throw theirleast favourite province under the bus, but it seems that a lot of Canadians also share the same feelings. On the other end of the spectrum, about 950,000 Albertanshad incomes of less than $25,000. A similar kinship was seen between the Atlantic Province, though Alberta was also in the mix as one of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundlands favourite. Where Alberta only feels they are close with Saskatchewan. The hostility is mostly in Alberta and Saskatchewan, unsurprising, given Premier Franois Legaults comments in December that theres no social acceptance for a pipeline that would pass through Quebec territory. Just one per cent of Albertans and two per cent of Saskatchewanians feel Quebec is friendly towards their province. The myth of the anti-Alberta Liberal - Canada's National Observer Politics in Alberta is weird, and we live in weirder times. Please attribute the author(s) and mention that the article was originally published by Policy Options magazine. Why so many Albertans are giving up on their country Since moving I quickly realized that Albertans are far less friendly than Ontarians. The Ontario group, formed in fall . Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. The government of Canada notes that there is one circumstance in which it is proper to display the flag inverted: The transformation that took place while it was travelling across the Prairies was so complete that few now remember that the convoy was not some kind of white nationalist uprising. I could waste more time explaining the current equalization formula and its faults; delve into the decades-old constitutional arguments that affirmed provinces rights to their resource royalties, or discuss the respective greenhouse gas emissions intensity of various subtypes of crude, based on well-to-wheel measurements. Off the top, separating from Canada seems like a very bad idea. The polling, drawn from an online survey of more than 4,000 Canadians across the country who are members of the Angus Reid Forum, a group of survey respondents, also says that a primary criticism from residents in Alberta and Saskatchewan, is that they dont benefit in proportion to whats provided to the rest of the country, as discontent over equalization payments bubbles up. A recent Ipsos poll conducted for Global News found that roughly half of all Canadians entertained racist thoughts they wouldnt speak in public. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The oil price crash that continues to weigh on the economy was no politicians fault. | CBC News Loaded, Fred Youngs doesn't claim to be a sage, but on one particular subject, he's the go-to guy among his neighbours in the "905.". We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. The numbers have been updated to reflect that abatement. Instead, they recall Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, who addressed the convoys rally in Ottawa, allegedly speaking at the same event as racist alt-right personality Faith Goldy. Seventy-one per cent of those in New Brunswick, for example, look fondly at Nova Scotia and 51 per cent of those in Newfoundland and Labrador look at Nova Scotia as a friend. Part of it is the tone that has been set from the top. Though the fact may seem hard to fathom to those in the East, a truly committed federalist has no better ally in Canada today than the premier of Alberta. The survey also asked respondents if they thought that there might be one province in the Federation that gets more than they give by being a part of Canada, and the consensus overwhelmingly showed Quebec as that province even from Quebecois themselves. Quebec is a particular irritant for Kenney because the province receives the largest dollar amount of Equalization and is opposed to pipelines, thus frustrating Albertas efforts to get its oil and gas to markets. From a purely environmental perspective the arguments used against the oil sands can be deployed against these, too. Though overall if the data shows anything, it's that there aren't any two provinces that outwardly share the same love for each other. The 40 per cent of earners above them paid 28.7 per cent of the tax. Does it even need to be fixed? November 7, 2019, The baseball caps were sold to the side of the rally at the Boot Scootin Boogie Dancehall last Saturday night. I dont know if this separatist sentiment in AlbertaWexit, if we mustis something to worry about. fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. This was the first year that the "flat tax" no longer applied in Alberta, but the progressive tax rates didn't escalate as quickly then as they do now. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Originally published on Policy Options November 1, 2019. that Downing, a former soldier and RCMP officer, had a history as a far right conspiracy theorist. Its hard to glean whether these are ambitious political organizers or keyboard warriors with delusions of grandeur. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Whats more, Ottawa needs to be on the ground in Alberta in a way it hasnt been before, and it must be seen by Albertans to be making policy changes in Albertas interests. A year later the Trudeau Liberals unveiled the infamous National Energy Program (NEP). Whats more, Ottawa needs to be on the ground in Alberta in a way it hasnt been before, and it must be seen by Albertans to be making policy changes in Albertas interests. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. The real sore thumb that stuck out, however, was everyprovinces view of Quebec. For now, Ill pass. Thats our term for ourselves. The transformation that took place while it was travelling across the Prairies was so complete that few now remember that the convoy was not some kind of white nationalist uprising. One for $20, or three hats for $50, they came in a variety of colours, reading Wexit and Make Alberta Great Again and The West Wants Out.. More than 700 people arrived at the event in Edmonton to hear a few speakers extol the benefits of Western separation. What's the deal with Alberta? | CBC News What's the deal with Alberta? The bulk of the adult, tax-filing population some 1.9 million people fell somewhere in between $25,000 and $150,000. Within days, he turned on that position entirely. It's silly to say that all people in one province have strong feelings about all people in another province. Goldy had showed up uninvited and offered her own rants from a cherry-picker located a block away from the main stage. Pipelines have been an especially touchy subject for Western Canada, to say the least meaning Quebec's public stance against them was never going to go over well. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. But it is going to take more than a part-time sage like me or a full-time one, for that matter to come up with the answers. And it is undeniable that Alberta is ponying up more money than it receives from the feds and it certainly receives less than other provinces. He joined CBC in 2015 after spending the previous decade working as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba. Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. The province therefore needs real voice and power in Ottawa today, as Ontario and Quebec have. Click here for a version that should work with your mobile device.). But the bust was inevitable and predictable. Whatever you do, don't forget to mention Alberta. That would be a virtual impossibility. Access articles from across Canada with one account. As you can also see from the interactive chart (by comparing the yellow and blue columns) the advantage for high-income earners would increase with a return to the flat tax. Copyright 2023 Buzz Connected Media Inc. Daily Hive is a Canadian-born online news source, established in 2008, that creates compelling, hyperlocal content. You can even find embryonic western separation movements cropping up in the comment sections of news stories about the equalization program. are happy to take redistributed . Sorry, PEI. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. The second: Do they really think leaving would solve the pipeline dilemma? He did. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Oh yes. Facebook. All rights reserved, Days after the 2006 general election, Stephen Harper convinced a Liberal MP, David Emerson, to join his Conservative cabinet. The only headquarters this government is passionate about preserving are the ones named SNC and located in Montreal, apparently. Trudeau bought the TMX line though the purchase offered absolutely no electoral benefit to himself or his party. The differences are largely aesthetic and emotional. Nefarious far-right conspiracies born in the dark heart of oil country, though never quite proven, are assumed. and Ontario. Canadians are seen as friendly people on the international stage, but just how neighbourly are we with our fellow patriots across the country? Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Why are Albertans so mad? Everything you need to know - nationalpost I can't stand Harper. And thirdly, I would say we have allies across Canada. Yet Alberta isnt passing legislation like Bill 21, which would bar members of the public service from wearing religious garb. Even still, the wild west ranked each other reasonably high on the charts, with BC coming in as third most close with Albertans, and Alberta landing as BCs number one (though, technically, none was BCs first choice). trending stories every day. Albertans hated his father. Just more than one-third of all Canadians believe Alberta gives more than they get to Confederation, while 16 per cent believe Saskatchewan does, too, followed by Atlantic Canada and Ontario, tied at 15 per cent. For example, Alberta pulls in about $1,388 per capita, while Nova Scotia gets $3,243 per capita in federal transfers. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Nearly 40 years ago, in February 1980, Pierre Trudeau won a majority government with two seats in western Canada and none west of Manitoba. It's the politicians that are the problem, B.C. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. The big difference between 1980 and today is that Alberta is a much larger player in the Canadian economy and in our national life than it was then. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. That makes Alberta the best province, from an income-tax point of view, to be living on low income. If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is. I have a hard time believing that Albertans "hate" people from Quebec. The provinces suffering is proper and righteous. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. It feels too futilelike trying to explain an emotion (and a not-always-rational one, as is the way with emotions)to people who dont want to hear it. There are a variety of factors to consider, The Eco 5 launches in Canada today reduces volume of food waste up to 90 per cent, The best in budget-friendly, lightweight and dual-action hair dryers, 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. But even if the province reverted to its old system, most Albertans would still pay more than people in B.C. Why is Trudeau so unpopular in Alberta? - Quora Next, longtime provincial Conservative party organizer Craig Chandlerwho earlier this year was the campaign manager for Jason Kenneys Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Minister Tanya Firtook to the stage to shill for an Alberta First purchasing program encouraging residents to opt for products produced by their neighbours. Though it seems the biggest bone both Alberta and Saskatchewan have to pick is with Quebec. Click or tap on the drop-down menu to change income levels and see how much in provincial income tax you would pay in each province. This was brought in as part of the "flat tax" system that Klein introduced and has been maintained to this day, with increases for inflation. An Albertan looking at equalization with the glass half-full might say the province's wealth, relative to the rest of Canada, means it's too rich to need help and that's a good thing. He did. If Trudeau wants to listen to the grievances of the West, he can pick up the phone and talk to anyone he likes. If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is. A party that treats its major industry as a font of dark oil money funding the Conservative party and a network of sympathetic media outletsa position no less cynical or conspiratorial than the anti-communism hysteria generated in the West. Baked into that moral calculus is an implicit political one: its a very fine thing to wipe an industry off the map in a part of the map that doesnt matter. Right-wing extremist groups 'prevalent' across Canada, study warns I have only a few observations. Here is how Rachel Notley could really take the boots to B.C. When Justin Trudeau forgot to mention Alberta during his Canada Day speech, aggrieved westerners reached for a familiar response to a slight from the East. Bernier said this practice makes the provinces look poorer than they actually are and games the system. Albertans have a way of adopting Central Canadians as "True Albertans" and ignoring and shaming those actually born and raised in Alberta as "not real Albertan". I have no doubt that Wexit is siphoning some of the far-right populist fuel that keeps websites like Reddit and 8Chan blinking with discontent well into the early morning hours on weekdays. The program intends to make sure provinces are providing comparable services across the country, but more often it is a political talking point. Why are People so Hard on Alberta? : r/alberta - Reddit British Columbia, on the other hand, is the odd one out in the western clique: just 21 per cent of people in other western provinces say B.C. If he doesnt want to listen, no amount of representation will make a difference. Shut down the oil sands and avoid the much harder questions about why they exist. Welcome to your #1 resource for answers to any question in the world about anything, answered by at least one Canadian. What to know about the PM's brother, Federal government reaches agreement for a new wage deal with striking workers, Jamie Sarkonak: Censorious Liberal attempt to block news article shows why they want to control the internet. Nevertheless, Trudeau should consider putting Equalization on the agenda of the next First Ministers Meeting to try to resolve some of these long-standing frictions and forge a stronger consensus on this key instrument of fiscal federalism. There is a perception in the rest of Canada, outside of Quebec, that Quebecers are not close, are not interested, are not engaged, with the rest of the country.. grows as you approach $75,000. A case can therefore be made that the escalator should be changed to reduce the growth rate of this implicit transfer from have provinces like Alberta to have not provinces like Quebec. Why do Qubec and Alberta hate each other? (transfer, buying - City Friday's letters: Why do Albertans need assault weapons? At the front of the dark, wood-panelled hall, a Canadian flag held aloft by two hockey sticks was displayed, inverted, on stage. These richest Albertans also pay alarger share of the total income taxes collected in Alberta, compared to the wealthiest people in other parts of the country. Story. Equalization is a concept enshrined in the Constitution, but for Alberta, it could become the new NEP if not managed well. The Green Party will definitely never look after us and now we see the Conservatives dont have our best interests in mind, said rally speaker Ambrose Ralph. All was forgiven and forgotten. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Are you considering a Move to Alberta? Editing the piece is not permitted, but you may publish excerpts. Now, it does not surprise me in the least that blue collar truckers and patch workers would hold views toward matters like asylum-seekers that would not earn them a warm welcome at a cocktail party in the Annex. Have an idea? When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau forgot to mention Alberta during his Canada Day speech on the weekend, some aggrieved westerners reached for a familiar response to a slight from the East. Joignez-vous aux dbats dOptions politiqueset soumettez-nous votre texte en suivant cesdirectives. Alberta is also thought to have bought its own trouble because it didnt hoard its oil gains, Norway-style. Not because I am some political seer, but because I know where Bridgeland is in Calgary, how glorious Kananaskis is, and how treacherous Highway 2 can be in the winter. There is a militancy to some of Wexits language and memestalk of civil war, for exampleand pictures of men in full military garb, that could foreshadow something darker and more violent. To this day the NEP retains mythic status in Alberta as the example of a central Canadian project inimical to Albertas economic interests. Pro-pipeline protesters outside a venue where Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau was speaking in 2018 (Jeff McIntosh/CP). This article first appeared on Policy Options and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. : You cant make a choice between whats good for the environment and whats good for the economy.We cant shut down the oilsands tomorrow. ago Favoured Alberta Son? By comparison, the bottom 50 per cent paid2.3 per cent of the income tax. They don't know why, they just do. Tax burden lowest in Alberta, Saskatchewan: Conference Board of Canada, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Flipping the tables found BC and Alberta actually at odds, with respondents seeing each the other province as less close or friendly towards their own. A national media based primarily in the East seemed to declare the Bloc the only unmitigated winner in this federal election.