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. 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. The West wants out.. The starting point could be the creation of an Alberta Economic Development Agency, as distinct from Western Diversification, the existing federal agency that covers all of western Canada. Most Albertansstill pay a 10-per-cent income tax rate, but those who earn more than $128,145 per year now pay 12per cent on earnings above that threshold. All of this will be used as proof of the underlying logic of Wexit: that the liberal East looks down at you while it takes your wealth. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Yet Alberta isnt passing legislation like Bill 21, which would bar members of the public service from wearing religious garb. The new government then went ahead and eliminated the flat tax, itself. Justin Trudeau speaks on Canada Day. I know it is the oil culture that people dislike but whenever something crappy happens there, people make fun of the entire province. Here's total per capita federal transfers to prov govts for 2016/17. They don't know why, they just do. Naturally, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba all stuck together, with Alberta and Saskatchewan seeing the closest bond of all provinces at 75% and 77% of respondents viewing the other province as especially close. If these statements seem insufficiently pro-Canada, I cant help but contrast the treatment Kenney gets to that of Yves-Francois Blanchet, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois. On the other end of the spectrum, about 950,000 Albertanshad incomes of less than $25,000. Now that Alberta has been downgraded to a non entity do we still have to send billions in equalization payments? Rather than shame the province out of the folly of separatism, I fear this will have the opposite effect. An earlier version of this story didn't factor in the abatement on federal taxes that Quebec income-tax filers receive. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. In an opinion article for the Calgary Herald, Alberta Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean said people constantly come up to him and ask him if the province could withdraw from the equalization program. It is very much a story of unrequited love in different parts of the country. Shut down the oil sands and avoid the much harder questions about why they exist. Through its advocacy role with other departments in Ottawa, the agency could bring a distinct Alberta voice to many important issues, at various levels of discussion and decision-making. ago Favoured Alberta Son? He was an embarrassment to Alberta. Having just won a commanding mandate from the province by articulating many of its lingering grievances, he can make a uniquely credible case for Canada. But even if the province reverted to its old system, most Albertans would still pay more than people in B.C. 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. But an angry Twitter outburst aimed at Newfoundlanders because they voted for Liberals? There is at least one major politician in this country who has publicly expressed a desire to separate from Canada if he didnt get his way politically. 'God help any federal leader whos trying to campaign on a united message because this is not a country that is feeling united'. Quebec: Does anyone know what is required to get from Quebec to usa? RELATED:Could Chrystia Freeland save Canada? Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. 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. Canada's right-wing extremist movement is a motley crew of white supremacists, anti-government "sovereignists" and pro-militia crusaders who, despite being disorganized and prone . And because the money comes out of general federal revenue, theres no way for Albertans to stop funding it short of refusing to pay their taxes. Alberta heard not a peep from him when Encana announced last. With lower prices, the two provinces take in less revenue and so receive more equalization money. RELATED:The answer to Justin Trudeaus Western cabinet problem. Super Bowl-winning athlete talks football, his medical career and the importance of skin care. Answer: I suppose so, but not many people including Premier Jason Kenney seem too worried about Wexiters (really, really bad branding, by the way). In his failed bid for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives, MLA Richard Starke said the province had to stop offering charity to the rest of the country when it had fiscal problems at home. Perhaps Albertans would be more amenable to talking about this transition if this countrys commitment to climate change didnt seem so selective. A new poll released by theAngus Reid Instituteseems to have found the answer to Canada's most disliked province. The Wexit Facebook page now boasts about a quarter-million members and its founder, Peter Downing, took to the front of the room wearing an Edmonton Eskimos jersey and asked the crowd to remove those caps to observe a moment of silence for the Alberta workers who have committed suicide since oil priced dropped in 2014, and the province lost an estimated 150,000 jobs. The top one per cent ofearners paid 31.5 per cent of the total income tax collected in Alberta that year. Rather than shame the province out of the folly of separatism, I fear this will have the opposite effect. Alberta is sometimes depicted as the author of its own misfortunesand the knock isnt entirely unfair. It's another example of you're with us or ag'in us. Finally, there's one question that's not random, rare or fantastical: Why do so many Albertans so viscerally loathe Justin Trudeau? You are either with Alberta or you're against it. How much are these payments Alberta is making? People were way friendlier for instance. Most people in Quebec are rather indifferent about the people in the rest of Canada. Even where theres some love, its unrequited by Ontarians. But how many people does this actually represent? No one in Alberta appears overly bothered by it. The program intends to make sure provinces are providing comparable services across the country, but more often it is a political talking point. This province continues to offer high quality services and low taxes that keep it in thrall to resource royalties that are long gone and likely never coming back. Unsurprisingly, the number of residents who say their own province is relatively high, but Alberta is recognized as receiving a raw deal by significant numbers of Canadians, the report says. Now as then, figuring out how to provide westerners with power in a government in which they have no elected representation is a major preoccupation in Ottawa. Whether it's the place you grew up or a place you simply love to visit, every Canadian definitely plays favourites. Politics in Alberta is weird, and we live in weirder times. Copyright 2023 Buzz Connected Media Inc. Daily Hive is a Canadian-born online news source, established in 2008, that creates compelling, hyperlocal content. and Quebec over pipeline opposition. When I lived there for a year, I thought it was superior to southern Ontario (more specifically, Windsor) in many ways. As news of Alberta's relaxing restrictions spreads across the country, people in Ontario are starting to call upon the provincial government to close off our borders to anyone from that province . So, between a government they hatenot dislike, but hatea slump in oil prices, real challenges attracting investment, and a sense that Quebec, Ontario and B.C. By comparison, the bottom 50 per cent paid2.3 per cent of the income tax. The reason for the negative reviews about Quebec according to the poll is due to an average of only 5% of Canadians believing that the province is "close with or friendly" to the province they reside in. 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. But neither has Trudeau done much to ease fears or restore trust. The government of Canada notes that there is one circumstance in which it is proper to display the flag inverted: as a symbol of distress. Once your province has cultivated a reputation for being a redneck backwater, well, thats a hard one to break. If each of your parents are of 2 ethnicities, do you wind up with one of each or are you a quarter of each? 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. 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. I really believe at heart most Albertans are patriots, he said in a press conference delivered the day after the federal election. Attendees line at the bar to put their names and addresses to paper so Wexit can collect the necessary minimum 250 signatures required to start a new federal political party. What the institute found was that many provinces saw a kinship with their border-sharing neighbours though there were a few exceptions. Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Though it seems the biggest bone both Alberta and Saskatchewan have to pick is with Quebec. It should have a board of directors made up of eminent Albertans. If Trudeau wants to listen to the grievances of the West, he can pick up the phone and talk to anyone he likes. Nefarious far-right conspiracies born in the dark heart of oil country, though never quite proven, are assumed. Our work is not to make federalism work, Blanchet said in his election-night speech, shortly after so many praised him for being so polished and articulate in the debates. Ottawa isnt going to give a bunch of rednecks a fair hearing, or a fair deal. We get to keep the $50 billion in taxation we send to Ottawa for nothing, nothing good except their noses up and their thumbs down on us, he says. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. (Quebec's income tax rates, by comparison, start at 15 per cent.). Through propaganda, many Albertans have come to see oil as part of their identities and it has led them to resist the diversification of their economy and adequate social safety nets, which is creating a feedback loop where the higher the unemployment and the worse their economic woes are, the more they blame liberals/leftists, the federal Thats all you are.. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Most Albertans love Montreal, and many comment about how all the women are beautiful. It may follow the doomed and creepily fascistic, Western Canada Concept led by lawyer Doug Christie, who made a name for himself in the 80s by defending anti-semites and neo-Nazis. The UCP government (and the NDP) need to face facts, Trudeau hates Alberta! Thats one disadvantage of the Alberta Advantage. And, sure enough, Elections Canada forms are flying around the room. But neither has Trudeau done much to ease fears or restore trust. Transportation is one of this countrys top greenhouse gas culprits, yet I cannot imagine Trudeau making a similar comment about southwest Ontarios car manufacturing plants, nor Quebecs aviation industry. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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. 2023 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. and about $18,000 less than in Quebec. You are welcome to republish this Policy Options article online or in print periodicals, under a Creative Commons/No Derivatives licence. Its a sign of open disrespecteven war, in some places. iberal East looks down at you while it takes your wealth. are happy to take redistributed . Secondly, I would say that we should not let Justin Trudeau and his policies make us feel unwelcome in our own country. Be part of thePolicy Optionsdiscussion, and send in your own submission. We need to manage the transition off of our dependence on fossil fuels. From the usual short-fused social media users to conservative leaders, its not hard to find anger in Alberta about equalization payments. Answer (1 of 10): You tell me. A recent article in Vice noted 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. 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. Email: sxthomson@postmedia.com | Twitter: stuartxthomson. That is why we are rude to you, we don't want you here, nor do we want your modern problems that you have on the mainland. 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. I dont know if this separatist sentiment in AlbertaWexit, if we mustis something to worry about. Part of it is the tone that has been set from the top. They also reap the political rewards of the low hydro prices. In Alberta, 56% of respondents agreed with the statement, "Western Canada gets so few benefits from being part of Canada that they might as well go it on their own," up 28 points from 2010 . Its a sign of open disrespecteven war, in some places. There are random questions. And it should have sufficient funds say, $500 million a year to make an impact on the ground in that province. Click herefor a version that should work with your mobile device.). It's Albertans in the middle who don't fare as well, as you can see from the interactive chart below. The former lacks even the veneer of democratic legitimacy, though it is constitutionally valid. Perhaps the bigger issue with the program, however, is a rule established in 2009 by the Harper government, of which Kenney was a senior minister that links the growth rate of the transfer to nominal GDP. RELATED:Trudeau needs an Alberta unity strategy if he wins, Were announcing, right now, a watershed and a new reality in Canadian politics. Nearly 40 years ago, in February 1980, Pierre Trudeau won a majority government with two seats in western Canada and none west of Manitoba. No one in Alberta appears overly. and Ontario. Meaning it might be time for Canadians to reconcile and hug it out. The attendees are mostly white; at least one has shown up wearing a Harley Davidson jacket patched with a Confederate flag, but there is as much Eddie Bauer in the room as leather. When Kenney pins this decline on Trudeau, the East is not wrong to be a bit baffled. he 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. Didnt he buy you a pipeline? A recent Ipsos poll conducted for Global News found that roughly half of. The only difference is that we are cutting the parasite of Eastern Canada off from our necks, Downing continues. Trudeau needs an Alberta unity strategy if he wins, The rise of Albertas unapologetic petro-patriots, Encana doesnt want to be Canadian anymore, and Trudeau shrugs, Re-election means never having to say youre sorry, The answer to Justin Trudeaus Western cabinet problem, Why Jason Kenneys proposed referendum is so puzzling, The uproar over Unplanned, and Canadas messed-up politics, Albertas straight-talking, belligerent statesman launches his own era, Albertas election, and the ugly politics in store for Canada, What Alberta voters should know about Jason Kenney and the UCP. It's the politicians that are the problem, B.C. If you have a favourite, you also likely have a least favourite - whether you realize it or not. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Low-income and high-income Albertans, meanwhile, enjoy the lowest taxes in the country. The top 0.01 per cent, alone, accounted for 5.7 per cent of all the income tax revenue. Were not alone., RELATED:Encana doesnt want to be Canadian anymore, and Trudeau shrugs. The characature of "Albertan" means more to people here than the truth. (For those interested in the nitty-gritty details, these calculations include both the high-income surtax and the health premiums charged in Ontario as part of the income-tax system.
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