Brian Crossman: Alberta (and Saskatchewan?) Separation
From the column:
“The list of countries and empires that have broken up over that past several hundred years is not a short one. Sudan split into two countries by referendum in 2011. Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Egypt and Syria and many others. The Soviet Union, the British Empire are gone, the United States came close in 1861, and there is no promise that the republic will endure forever. Will Canada, or the world map look the same in 50 to 100 years? I’m betting not, and it seems pretty arrogant to think otherwise.”
Some may question why is this relevant to Saskatchewan? It is my understanding that recent polling showed support for separation a few weeks ago was 2 per cent higher in Saskatchewan than it is in Alberta. So it’s relevant.
Here’s a thought experiment which could turn into a column: If Alberta and possibly Saskatchewan were to separate – do they really need much of a military? To defend against who, the pot smokers of Vancouver? Do they need a navy? Nope. No water, unless they snag Prince Rupert and Kitimat – which could happen, if the rednecks invade the Left Coast. But even then, no real navy would be needed. Air force? Probably not much of one for that, either. Who are they going to bomb, Timmins, Ont? That’s a lot of money saved right there, on top of ditching equalization.
One universal truth is that if you don’t have your Army, you’ll have somebody else’s. To defend against who? Look south at Mexico. How are things going over there? Look East. The people who declared a national emergency worthy of the war measures act over a truck protest are still in power. As he said, that’s a lot of money.
I like the optimism. Walk away clean with no accountability. When Quebec was thretening to separate, arguments were that they were going to have to reimburse their share of the national debt and defense. I guess memories are short. But the status quo cannot be sustained. If separation occurs, look for other provinces to join, and that would be a problem for Ottawa and who else is is pullling the strings.
For the purposes of maintaining sovereignty nothing beats a second amendment.
It’s one thing to go up against an army, quite another to get drawn into a years long running insurgency in a frontier war where the combatants are hiding every where.
That and the use of cheap drones acting as guided munitions is quite the deterrent against a foe that has a population with a tendency to hire mercenaries to bump its recruiting efforts
See that crooked border on the southwest corner? Don’t forget to include everything east of the 120th meridian. We have more in common with Alberta than the pot-smokers of Vancouver and the tosspots in Victoria. And I’ve always appreciated how easy it is to draw a map of Saskatchewan.
It was taught to me in grade school that the border was defined by the continental divide within the Rocky Mountains. Rivers which flowed west and the surrounding land were in BC; rivers which flowed east and the surrounding land were in AB.
However, that could easily change. I used to work for Kicking Horse Mountain Resort south of Golden, BC. The owners and management ALWAYS felt more akin to AB than to BC. As well, it is my understanding that northern BC is much more conservative and would align better with AB/SK. Having Prince Rupert as a port would also help.
When others say it cannot happen, I am always reminded of the Berlin Wall coming down in 1989. It was only up for 30 years and now it is almost 40 years since it came down.
As a lover of history, just when you think things will “Zag”, they “Zig”. Look at what is happening in Puerto Vallarta and other resort areas of Mexico as of yesterday.
Agree completely. And citizens of ‘ABSK’ (a nicer name than SKAB) wouldn’t need a passport to visit their friends and relatives in the Shuswap. Half of the area residents have their origin in one of the two provinces. Jeez, now that I think of it, I hope we don’t become Canada’s Crimea.
I could stand corrected, but I think most western rivers flow north or west around the great divide.
In Alberta/ Sask, they all flow north except for the Milk River, which flows into the Mississippi basin.
Yikes…had to recall that M I ss I ss I pp I shit.
Please correct me if my watershed memory is wrong, or ignore my comment completely.
The rivers only flow one way.
Peace
Frenchman River in SK also flows into the Mississippi basin, via the Milk.
The southern/crooked part of the BC/AB border divides the east/west watersheds. The northerm/straight part is the 120 meridian; not a watershed boundary. 120 is technically a time-zone boundary (every 15 degrees, 24 x 15 = 360).
As well, it is my understanding that northern BC is much more conservative and would align better with AB/SK
Don’t care, not interested. Why? Bringing along any part of BC brings along the unresolved Indian land ownership issues. Thanks, but no thanks.
Can’t hold that against you; the way our provincial government is handling the issue is shameful.
Alberta-Sask would likely not require an army of the size to go into international conflict or, obviously, a navy. That saves a considerable amount of money. The new country would still need some type of national defense force. Perhaps more like Switzerland’s militia model, although I’m not a fan of mandatory military service. The Swiss model is “rooted in a commitment to neutrality, a well-prepared citizenry, and a robust deterrence posture.” Plus “The integration of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and drone technology allows for swift and precise responses to potential security challenges.”
I think that the biggest problem Alberta and Saskatchewan would have is keeping economic migrants out and keeping out drug/weapon/human traffickers. The biggest military threat would be a hostile USA and, under that scenario, it wouldn’t matter because 6 or 7 million people can’t defend against a neighbor with a 330+ million population and the worlds largest military .
“The biggest military threat would be a hostile USA and, under that scenario, it wouldn’t matter because 6 or 7 million people can’t defend against a neighbor with a 330+ million population and the worlds largest military .”
That’s exactly it. You wouldn’t need to defend against the rump of Canada, and there’s no point even trying against the USA.
“You wouldn’t need to defend against the rump of Canada”
Probably not but you would want to prevent the new, independent country from being swamped by refugees from Canada. Unless the remaining parts of Canada made radical changes politically and economically, the loss of their 2 wealthiest provinces (by GDP per capita and exports per capita) could create a damaging downward economic spiral. Strong borders prevent the mass migration situation that Canada is currently experiencing.
Come on Brian! You and the wife are ex-Canuck military. Don’t you want to become a one star General in the new State of Saskberta? You can spend your time launching relief missions to every impoverished country in the world. You could use your Army for humanitarian purposes. Blue helmets are already taken … but maybe ‘teal’ would be nice?
Wouldn’t need an army…..just an agreement similar to the one in Costa Rica. I’m sure the U.S. would be prepared to protect AB and SK (although I’m not sure from who) in exchange for the Cold Lake base which the U.S. would use for protection in the Arctic.
Another option would be to join the US and become states. I for one would heartily welcome our Canadian brothers (from provinces other than Ontario & Quebec).
Sask and Alberta would be welcome additions to the USA. Yukon and NWT would also be welcome.
Not sure on BC.
Sorry, not an option.
The biggest military threat would be from eastern Canada. They would not take kindly to having their meal ticket cancelled. They would insist that 7 provinces must approve of separation (never happen) and when ABSK declares unilateral independence, they would call it illegal and that would be the excuse to attack.
If Alberta and Sask joined the USA as states, they wouldn’t have to worry about Eastern Canada.
LC
Switzerland’s best defense asset is it’s geography, even the nazis didn’t want to attempt up hill battles.
True, we were told that the mountain passes are defended with explosives to protect Switzerland against a land attack. It doesn’t protect them from drones, missiles and air assault. Alberta does have the Rockies. Saskatchewan’s best defense is narrow, pothole filled roads on all secondary highways at all borders.
They would need a militia.
Israel and Switzerland models as examples.
2 years service post high school.
That way, a generation is trained, if necessary, and most importantly, a disciplined, loyal group of citizens are produced.
The 2 years service post high school should be voluntary with the inducement being exceptionally high pay.
Nathan McKinnon is quoted as saying that the Canadian’s were the better team on the ice yesterday. Perhaps, but they still lost. Perhaps if they had been dirtier in the corners. After all; “elbows up”
The quote is from a player that missed a yawning wide chasm of a net in front of him. What a perfect metaphor for canaduh. So many amazing opportunities yet completely missed. Pretty much all of them deliberately. So many own goals too. The metaphor of the crabs pulling each other back into the pail is such an incredibly appropriate one.
To those that cling to their red fleur-de-lis, please, tell me the way forward that will reverse the decline of Canada. Please don’t tell me we must stick together to combat DJT. DJT has an end date and that is January 2029. Please tell me what the end date is on the liarberal party of canaduh. Please tell me the end date on equalization, please tell me the end date on the “senate”, please tell me the end date on unequal voting, please tell me the end date on confiscatory taxation, please tell me the end date on censorship and discrimination, please tell me what the plan is to have our children and grandchildren a better life.
McKinnon’s comment is perfectly canadian with its smug arrogance. Sorry buddy, the better team is the one that won. Maybe you can petition the Olympic Committee to have hockey become a judged sport like figure skating.
Oh, our health care is so much better than America’s. Except if you get sick. Then you can wait for months for diagnostic and specialist services that are accessed in days in the US. Any effort to change our system is immediately attacked by the unions and the politicians (NDP) that they control. Can’t have a system where a patient may have a choice! How can I protect my union wage if I can’t hold the system hostage. It’s ultimately for the patient, right? So, to protect the worst health care system in the first world, let’s just kill those that we delayed on waiting lists.
Our economy is wholly dependent on the US. Our top customer wants to do something different? Elbows Up of course. Most normal businesses listen to their customer and try to adapt to their desires. Not canaduh, we’re better than them so we will go find customers for our products elsewhere. You’ve had 40 years to do that. Now you want to try to do it in 40 weeks? What are we going to sell? The only thing of ours that the world wants is oil, agriculture and potash and we are blocking all our avenues to export oil to the world. Sorry, you’re not going to sell F150s to Europe.
canaduh is led by a bunch of Edward Smith’s except Smith didn’t deliberately try to crash the Titanic into the iceberg. The liarberal’s seem to be very intent on that and eastern Canadians seem more than happy to allow them too. Then, as soon as someone tries to save themselve’s by heading to the lifeboats, the crabs try to pull them back in.
The only way forward for any kind of prosperous future is for and Independent Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC (outside of Vancouver)
Chris … communists in our governments have no end date. And after all their failed policies reveal just how inept they are … they’ll shrug and claim that … “Socialism just hasn’t been done right yet”. Rinse and repeat.
The BadOrangeMans successful actions will live on forever … despite every attempt to reverse them.
Canada outperforms the United States in every way! Except actual performance, of course.
The people crying that Canada was better either don’t know or are ignoring that Bill Guerin (who selected the US team) specifically chose a group he thought would be a more cohesive team, taking some guys whose main benefit were things like faceoffs and penalty killing, rather than just taking the best players.
Guerin took a lot of heat for that strategy before the Olympics, but that had a lot to do with things like the US being 18 for 18 killing penalties, even if they weren’t as flashy at 5v5.
ebt
Beauty that!
Has anyone seen any Canadian Liberal journalist make any sensible argument at all as to why Alberta and Saskatchewan should stay?
I haven’t seen any.
All I see are their obvious lies, obvious denials of reality, and ‘wife beater’ threats.
Coyne spewed some nonsense about equalization, Kinsella reposts abusive ‘you can’t leave’ columns from far left nutters.
If there’s an argument for Alberta and Saskatchewan to stay, what is it?
Economics? That’s a no brainer in favor of leaving.
Patriotism and loyalty? Loyalty to what, a racist colony filled with mass graves where our taxes pay the Laurentian Deletes to lie about us and insult us while they rob us?
People on the prairies have been asking that question since at least the reform party era. What are the positive benefits of Alberta and Saskatchewan remaining in Canada? Not threats, not insults but a list of compelling benefits for staying in confederation. The lack of an answer or list is the answer.
The follow up questions would be :
Can the rest of Canada list the reasons why Alberta and Saskatchewan have an independence movement? The rest of Canada understand the Quebec separatist’s reasons but strangely not ours.
If they do understand the reasons for the independence movement in Alberta and Saskatchewan, then what changes to confederation can they offer? The reality is that can’t do anything because of inflexibility of the constitution and political realities that require Ottawa to focus only on central and eastern Canada.
“ Has anyone seen any Canadian Liberal journalist make any sensible argument at all as to why Alberta and Saskatchewan should stay?”
Nope
The fact that they don’t is why the anti-separation side is going to lose.
They don’t have an argument why the west should stay and all their arguments support leaving confederation.
Even better
Imagine the head explosions that will come out of the liberal bubble when Trump is asked and he says he could make a better offer for the west to join the US.
There are two arguments for Alberta and Saskatchewan staying, but they’re only mentioned in private in Quebec and Ontario halls of power and influence:
1. A source of equalization payments to Quebec.
2. When AB SK leave, Ontario gets the equalization tab.
Neither is a good argument, unless you live in Quebec or Ontario.
Canada could easily survive the separation of Quebec….in fact it would be a benefit. But Canada would not survive the separation of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
We have the foundation for a militia,every licensed firearm owner.
Already vetted,already predisposed to resist Ottawa.
Who are currently planning on recruiting mercenaries,because the current military members will not obey their demands.
My enemies reside to the east.
A hostile neighbour ,to our south is a head fake..most Americans do not even think of Canada,let alone plan to invade..
With the exception,if Can Ahh Duh carries on failing,we will become a threat to US national security,for no civil society can tolerate a corrupt and lawless land on such a long,undefended border.
Much of the Swiss system is very good.
Direct Democracy,with every citizen trained to safely handle a real weapon.
We could copy worse.
But the final question,could Eastern Canada wake up and address the issues that are alienating Western Canada in time?
Not a chance.
We will be arming up and declaring our Independence,before the East even recognize that they have a problem.
They do not recognize that Albertans even have rights or freedoms.
And will claim to have been blindsided by those treasonous western hicks, when the equalization loot stops flowing.
Then they will attempt to stick the new nation with the debt,that they accumulated.
There will be no “negotiation in good faith”.
We must separate our affairs from Can Ahh Duh,because they will never stop,suicide is their intent..
Jimmy Jones had nothing on these fools.
“We are committing suicide and you must do it too”.
That National Debt is Can Ahh Duh’s only lasting achievement.
Freezing in the dark,facing starvation amidst so much plenty,that we can only sing the praises of Dear Leader..
We could all have been rich,but nope.
Better to rule in a Hell,than share such bounty.
Eastern Voters have chosen to reward lies,corruption,theft and failure.
And sent the bill to the Western citizens.
And they will be “Shocked and appalled” by the ingratitude they see from Western Citizenry..
An independent West may be hard work and risky..this is still a better route than the certainty of the kleptocracy of Can Ahh Duh,devolving into a State of Thuggery.
Which has already happened,in case you missed it.
Asking for Yukon, Northwest Territories, and the dorsal fin off Nunavut to be included, for a friend.
This won’t be for 30 years because you’ll never look back.
And we understand that some, even while highly interested and motivated to separate might feel a bit squeamish. I suggest investigating how other U.S. territories feel about their arrangements. Improve upon them if you can, and proceed.
Many say conservatives are bound up by vacillations over potential unintended consequences. Sometimes an unintended consequence is the best part of the result.
AI (heh…)
“In Regina, Saskatchewan, the cost of regular milk (1 liter) is approximately CAD 3.29, while in Columbus, Ohio, it is about USD 0.87. This indicates a significant price difference, with milk being more expensive in Regina.”
…
(USD .87 = 1.19 CAD or milk is 276% more expensive in Regina. )
Yer not separating over the price of milk, but hey, it’s consequential, intended or not.
Diagolon.
Is this why the Liberal Cabinet insisted that Jeremy’s joke was a real terrorist organization?
Sheesh,they kept going on about Diagolon,in their attempts to justify declaring a “National Emergency”,even after every government spy agency,including the RCMP,told them “NO SUCH EXISTS”…
Now,with separation.; Diagolon lives.
It is all a MAGA scheme to join Alaska to Montana.
Just ask any Liberal.
Elbows Up!
Well… to their defense, talking about whacking off 66% of your cost of living, lowering your taxes, AND getting rid of equalization payments is pretty effing terrifying, to them.
The argument is real enough but this flag I’m looking at isn’t nearly good enough.
No, no no. This won’t do at all.
****
One thing though, as Alberta and Saskatchewan have about 11,812 members in the old CAF who aren’t going to have much to do… Do you think you could help us out and say repair /modify our 1300 F-35s? Because as of now about 700 of them can’t even fly and the 600 that can will only do 5 of their 15 designated mission types. So… if we just send, say, 100 over at a time, to that airbase, maybe you could fix and test ’em out you know…
Oh… we need some drones too… the type we use on borders ’cause borders need to be secure…
A couple pipelines, a few minerals… maybe some gold.
Sheeit where is Saskeberta exactly?
There’s quite a few new social media accounts commenting on how bad it’ll be if/when AB/Sask. separate from Canada, how we won’t be permitted to, and when we do anyways, how we’ll be destitute.
Hopefully the gov’t of Canada has a plan for what they’ll do with their citizens after we separate, and if the permanent underclass of Canada believes in Canada, they’ll stay put in the east, and love it.
However, I think they’re all wrong, and we’ll require a means of keeping the waves of people out, proof of AB/Sask. citizenship may be good, but it won’t stop them at our porous border.
So, some military will be necessary, I think the idea of 2 years after high school is good, but there are 67,000 students currently in grade 12 in AB, and I doubt we’ll need 134,000 in a military. Perhaps a small unit of career military citizens and a larger reserve would suit. I do like the Swiss model of reserves who regularly train each year as well… and they do participate in military training exercises outside of the country though they’re not a NATO member.
I don’t think saying you’re a conscientious objector gets you out of service, just think of how good you’ll be at peeling potatoes and doing laundry after your stint. Can’t stand on your feet? great, we’ll need some folks who can sit and fold laundry today, your shift ends at 5pm Pumpkin, see how inclusive we are!
I’m not concerned of the USA being a threat to our liberty, nor Canada, as long as they can hold off from being further idiots during the actual separation process.
I have no interest in AB/Sask. joining the United Nations, beyond having a non voting representative there to take notes on what those folks are doing with your tax dollars. I shouldn’t have to point to anything other than their “human rights groups” and how their members treat their own citizens as they offer no lessons on how to conduct one’s self. None at all.
Despite Trump’s 51st state comments, the process is complicated enough in US that no states are being added easily.
You would have zero threat from the US when it is run by the Republicans, your real threat is the US having power over you when the leftists take power here.
I do like the idea of military service upon high school graduation but it has to be done by all genders….you know, male and female.
If one of the potential candidates is a conscientious objector or otherwise opposed to military service, fine. They can do their 24 months in prison with no pay.
For those who are medically unfit for military service, perhaps they can be directed to serve at a Value Village for 24 months for minimum wage.
Current gas pump prices:
Beaumont, TX @ Mobil $2.15 USD/USG = $0.77 CDN/L
Ketchikan, AK @ Safeway $3.49 USD/USG = $1.26 CDN/L
$1.26 is the same price as Edmonton where there are several refineries. Also, travel to Ketchikan is fly/boat-in only, hence the price difference with Beaumont, where refineries are a stone’s throw away….like Edmonton…..where the gas and milk prices also defy logic.
Elbows up to keep the Quebec dairy cartel from going tits up, or something…. And tax the snot out of the energy industry because how dare the dirty people from that western colony expect any different.
Saskaberta will need an air force because it will have no choice but to join NORAD. Or it could hand protection of its air space over to the USA lock, stock, and barrel, which would not be a good look for an independent republic. Fortunately, half of the RCAF’s fighter jets are already in Alberta, at Cold Lake.
Saskalberta doesn’t need any military….Costa Rica doesn’t have one and I’m sure the U.S. would gladly protect Saskalberta (from which enemies, I’m not sure), for the use of Cold Lake by the U.S. airforce to look out not only for Saskalberta but also to take care of Arctic defense.
If you have a foreign military patrolling your skies, you have no sovereignty. And you can’t Arctic defense out of Cold Lake. Not even Yellowknife.
“If you have a foreign military patrolling your skies, you have no sovereignty”
That’s accurate, but not entirely true.. I’m old enough to remember back when Castrudeau was begging the Chinese to send soldiers to come train in winter drills in Canada, His Chinese comrade’s ‘weather balloon’ drifted lazily across western Canada with relative impunity. That balloon went on to humiliate the Biden regime as well, but for two very different reasons. Castrudeau couldn’t, and Biden wouldn’t bring it down. The next ‘weather balloon’ was a very different story, as the U.S. brought down that balloon over western Canada as a courtesy, so to speak.. the courtesy of sparing them both any further humiliation. The U.S. protects Canadian skies, within reach.. been that way for a long time, I suppose..
> https://nypost.com/2023/02/11/defense-officials-describe-object-shot-down-by-us-jet-over-canada/
Those F18s were state of the art when new, but now who will they be effective against? Certainly not the USA. And not against the Canadian air force when they get the F35s.
The F18s are clapped out. They were worn out a decade or two ago. There is a point where you can’t patch and refurbish. If you see one on a pedestal, don’t stand under it.
I expect they’ll be flown out of Alberta to somewhere in Canada on or about 18. October 2026 with the independence referendum held the next day.
I think if the right sales angle was used you can get even the most devout liberal on board.
What is it that motivates a liberal?
Power.
What does Carney want?
A majority.
What is keeping him from having that majority?
Too many opposition MP’s.
So if you removed all the Alberta seats from the House of Commons how big a majority would the liberals have?
It’s a win win for Alberta.
Would Alberta CPC MP’s be willing to sacrifice their seat to get Ottawa out of Alberta for ever?
A nice concise summary of equalization.
You might notice that over its history Ontario has paid in almost double that of Alberta.
https://www.davemanuel.com/canada-equalization-payments-explained.php
And what are the per capita numbers? False equivalency there.
When it’s not in newfberta’s favour it’s a false equivalency, but when it’s hurts yer feelz, easterners bad, I get it, some are just too stupid to recognize the image in the mirror!
You might notice that over its history Ontario has paid in almost double that of Alberta.
Good! Then they’ll have no issue paying Alberta’s share to Kaybec when we’re gone.
Alberta won’t get the velvet divorce of Czechoslovakia, but hopefully it won’t be the North American Yugoslavia.