You’re positioning Alberta’s failure as a winning strategy. Alberta has learnt constant complaining and whining work in Ottawa to some extent. The difference is that when Quebec whines, it has a point; it’s a distinct culture demanding always more independence to protect itself. Alberta is a distinct culture as well, but in the bad sense, it’s a conservative grievance culture and nothing else. It has no specific cultural contribution like Quebec; it just feels that it should be treated as if it had. Canada values diversity; it doesn’t value or support financial grievance, which is what Alberts is doing. To all Albertans, if I were to choose, I would always go with Quebec. Quebec is more important to Canada as a country than Alberta. Alberta is just a nuisance, a grievance created and promoted by USA, and as such, minimally binding.
Lazy stereotyping does not form a strong argument. Quebec’s “distinct” whines get a free pass? Every province’s voice matters, not just the ones you romanticize. Separation is a minority view, but a loss of trust in federalism and Canadian institutions is more widely held in Alberta, by many outside Alberta, and especially the youth of this country. It is time to course correct, not fall for and promote tribalist east-west rhetoric. Let’s solve this the Canadian way, good faith debate and compromise.
Appeals to good faith assume a system still capable of responding. Many Canadians—across regions and generations—no longer believe that’s true. When institutions harden, disagreement isn’t tribalism; it’s a signal that the feedback loop is broken.
I agree with you it is broken, and it’s across generations. And the sentiment is very strong with the youth. The institutions have lost trust for many valid reasons. It has eroded over time to a breaking point. Every province should be seeking bargaining power.
So, each province can whine, whinge and complain just like Alberta. Okay, Alberta, time to explain why you still haven’t used TMX to max but, whine, whinge and complain you need another pipeline that affects indigenous peoples, lands and ecological integrity just cuz Alberta wants it.
It may be in the mainstream of news editors, and have reached the chattering classes. But poll after poll has shown hardcore support at less than 18%, and soft support ( the idea, without the economic reality) at around 30%.
The oxygen this issue is being given far outweighs the actual sentiment of the 2/3rds majority of Albertans.
Mmmm. I worked in daily news and current affairs for 20 years- nothing makes a story like tension, and a glib, quotable spokesthingee, with something that vaguely resembles a plan. Rath and crowd are very loud and visible. But not representative. And our three largest news networks are not balancing their coverage right now, because the seperatists keep feeding them tidbits to stay in the news cycle. But again, whatever is loudest, isn't necessarily most real.
Polls measure preference. Systems respond to leverage.
The question isn’t whether separatism is popular — it’s whether Ottawa still has room to ignore coordinated minority pressure at key chokepoints.
Media noise doesn’t create that condition; it reveals it. When systems are healthy, noise dissipates. When they’re brittle, even small stresses propagate.
Albertan here. Alberta’s biggest problem is that it has become a legend in its own mind!
You’re positioning Alberta’s failure as a winning strategy. Alberta has learnt constant complaining and whining work in Ottawa to some extent. The difference is that when Quebec whines, it has a point; it’s a distinct culture demanding always more independence to protect itself. Alberta is a distinct culture as well, but in the bad sense, it’s a conservative grievance culture and nothing else. It has no specific cultural contribution like Quebec; it just feels that it should be treated as if it had. Canada values diversity; it doesn’t value or support financial grievance, which is what Alberts is doing. To all Albertans, if I were to choose, I would always go with Quebec. Quebec is more important to Canada as a country than Alberta. Alberta is just a nuisance, a grievance created and promoted by USA, and as such, minimally binding.
Lazy stereotyping does not form a strong argument. Quebec’s “distinct” whines get a free pass? Every province’s voice matters, not just the ones you romanticize. Separation is a minority view, but a loss of trust in federalism and Canadian institutions is more widely held in Alberta, by many outside Alberta, and especially the youth of this country. It is time to course correct, not fall for and promote tribalist east-west rhetoric. Let’s solve this the Canadian way, good faith debate and compromise.
Appeals to good faith assume a system still capable of responding. Many Canadians—across regions and generations—no longer believe that’s true. When institutions harden, disagreement isn’t tribalism; it’s a signal that the feedback loop is broken.
I agree with you it is broken, and it’s across generations. And the sentiment is very strong with the youth. The institutions have lost trust for many valid reasons. It has eroded over time to a breaking point. Every province should be seeking bargaining power.
So, each province can whine, whinge and complain just like Alberta. Okay, Alberta, time to explain why you still haven’t used TMX to max but, whine, whinge and complain you need another pipeline that affects indigenous peoples, lands and ecological integrity just cuz Alberta wants it.
It may be in the mainstream of news editors, and have reached the chattering classes. But poll after poll has shown hardcore support at less than 18%, and soft support ( the idea, without the economic reality) at around 30%.
The oxygen this issue is being given far outweighs the actual sentiment of the 2/3rds majority of Albertans.
Polls measure preference, not leverage.
Alberta doesn’t need majority support to matter — it needs to stress chokepoints Ottawa can’t ignore.
The media attention isn’t hype; it’s a signal that the system has become brittle enough for minority pressure to count.
Mmmm. I worked in daily news and current affairs for 20 years- nothing makes a story like tension, and a glib, quotable spokesthingee, with something that vaguely resembles a plan. Rath and crowd are very loud and visible. But not representative. And our three largest news networks are not balancing their coverage right now, because the seperatists keep feeding them tidbits to stay in the news cycle. But again, whatever is loudest, isn't necessarily most real.
Polls measure preference. Systems respond to leverage.
The question isn’t whether separatism is popular — it’s whether Ottawa still has room to ignore coordinated minority pressure at key chokepoints.
Media noise doesn’t create that condition; it reveals it. When systems are healthy, noise dissipates. When they’re brittle, even small stresses propagate.