Wednesday, May 17, 2023

The Alberta blues


 (My new American Thinker post)

There are many Canadians in Texas – at least it feels that way when one of their hockey teams come to town.  By the way, some of my most interesting conversations about socialized medicine have been with Canadians.  

So what's going on up north?  Check this out:   

An advocacy group in Alberta, Canada, is trying to educate residents of the province about what it argues would be the benefits of breaking off from the country to join the U.S. as its 51st state.

"I find myself having an affinity toward the U.S. more than Canada because of the freedom, Constitution and just the entire republican system versus the monarchy here, which is really a pseudonym for dictatorship," a source with the Alberta 51 Project told Fox News Digital.

Founded in 2022, the project is "dedicated to supporting education to all Albertans on why we should become the 51st state of the United States of America," according to its website. About one-fifth of Canadians in various provinces believe they would be better off under the U.S. government, according to a poll done by Research Co. earlier this year.

Interesting, isn't it?  One-fifth of Canadians want out.

Before you start sewing the 51st star on the flag, please consider that a formal separation like this is probably impossible under Canadian law.  It would require an act of Parliament or some type of referendum as we saw years ago with Quebec. As you may remember, that vote was super close against separation.

The situation with Alberta is a bit different.  First, they have lots of oil and PM Justin Trudeau is obsessed with climate change and demonizing fossil fuels.  Second, the Western provinces are more conservative and reject the Trudeau policies.

So it won't happen, but something is going on in Canada, especially west of Ontario.  As Canadians tell me in Texas, they didn't vote for this liberalism on steroids but that's what they are getting because the liberals formed a coalition with a smaller party that gives them enough votes to have power.    

In the end, Alberta will remain as part of Canada but something is going on north of the border.  A divided country for sure and a prime minister who subscribes to the Biden School of Bringing People Together.

P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.