@JonFromAlberta No matter what any piece of paper says, we all have the same god-given inalienable rights. Governments role is not to grant rights, but recognize & protect them. Any system without this as core principle is a slippery slope to tyranny. The American founders had this 100% correct.
The Brexit analogy does not fit Alberta.
Britain chose to loosen its relationship with its largest regional market.
Alberta’s case is different. Our economy already points south. Our energy, agriculture, investment, and opportunity are deeply tied to the United States.
Independence would allow Alberta to deal directly with our largest customer, instead of having Ottawa negotiate against our interests. https://t.co/70SdJ6Dt1R
Cenovus CEO says proposed pipeline to Canada's west coast currently 'unfinanceable'
"McKenzie, who heads one of Canada's largest oil sands companies, said at the Global Energy Show in Calgary that the country's industrial carbon pricing system makes Canadian oil uncompetitive and inhibits the production growth required to fill the proposed pipeline."
https://t.co/xgzAxflxNJ
@ikwilson And yet champion of that referendum @jkenney , continues to believe that Albertans have a democratic voice and that federalism can work for Alberta.
Lying grifter, or painfully naive. There's no third option.
Dear Stayers.
Seriously, I want to really know what would be so bad about having lower taxes, higher employment, better services, votes that matter, family and property protective laws, fiscal responsibility, an excellent relationship with many countries AND the US. And more.
Claude AI analyzed the Alberta independence debate.
Here's who won and why.
Keith Wilson and Jason Kenney debated the resolution "Be it resolved: The West should stay in Canada" at a public event in Calgary on May 25th.
Wilson argued for Alberta independence. Kenney argued for staying in confederation.
The audio recording of the full debate was used to generate a complete transcript. That transcript was uploaded into Anthropic's Claude and the AI was directed to conduct an unbiased analysis of the debate. No framing was provided. No sides were taken. Claude was simply asked to evaluate the strength of each side's arguments and determine who won.
Wilson's strongest arguments:
Canada is no longer an optimal size of governance for Alberta. Alberta has contributed an estimated $700 billion in net fiscal transfers to Ottawa. Alberta's GDP is larger than over 100 sovereign nations. 90% of Alberta's trade is with the United States. The federalist side has no realistic plan to fix Canada from within. The equalization referendum passed and Ottawa did not respond.
Kenney's strongest arguments:
All 47 First Nations treaty signatories refuse to recognize a transfer to an independent Alberta. The Edmonton partition question remains unanswered. No published transition plan exists 150 days from a potential referendum. Major capital investment would freeze during a separation process. The cost of building independent state infrastructure including NATO defense obligations is significant.
Claude's verdict:
Keith Wilson won the debate. Wilson controlled the framing from his opening statement and Kenney was unable to break free of it. The decisive factor was that Wilson posed one central challenge that went unanswered all night. Name a single realistic mechanism that forces Ottawa to reform. Kenney could not.
Full analysis below.
@ABDanielleSmith *proceeds to kick the can down the road*
... its plain as day you're trying to play both sides of this issue.
That always ends well, and definitely not with both sides hating your guts.
@monaleezadesign@RiseOfAlberta No argument here that constitutional amendment is prohibitively difficult, effectively impossible.
My comment was merely about the level of public support for it in Alberta, 5 years ago. And Albertans have since then only endured more federal abuse and worse material conditions.
@DaneLloydMP Canada First, Alberta second. Got it. As your constituent, message received.
Its good a thing that for once, Albertans are not asking anyone in Ottawa for permission.
@ABDanielleSmith Good luck ever getting shovels in the ground without a private partner to build it. Industry couldn't be saying more clearly that all the federal taxes and regulation make it unprofitable.
All that disappears, day 1 of independence.
@RiseOfAlberta Imagine going back to your employers after you were FIRED, still trying to sell them on the bad ideas that got you canned.
Kenney managed to con a province that had Notley derangement syndrome. But thankfully we now see him for what he is.