WHY INDEPENDENCE

Alberta has the potential to become a great nation when not held back by bad policies and politics.

We can:

• be an world Economic Powerhouse
• form a Modern Government that puts the real power in the hands of the people
• enshrine, in our constitution, unparalleled Freedoms
• finally be free from unfair Ottawa based policies and politics.

It’s time we move forward to an exciting and prosperous independent Alberta.

The economic potential of Alberta, we know about it in the Canadian context, right? Alberta as a province functions as a cash cow for the rest of Canada, 15% of the national GDP produced by 11.5% of the population helps to sustain the existence of 31% of Canadians in some form.

There is a lot of talk about the potential Alberta has as it’s own entity and presently we only know of our economic potential within a Canadian context. Within the Canadian context we continue to be stifled by needless regulation of oil and gas export while being provided fewer opportunities for economic diversification awarded to other regions in Canada. This has come with a heavy bill which we have been expected to pay regardless of our own economic difficulties.

Now, all good things must be fought for and economic development is no different. There would be a variety of hurdles to overcome and renegotiated terms but under those circumstances Alberta can still be a world economic powerhouse. An independent Alberta would be a young nation and a talented nation. 30% of Albertans have at least a bachelor’s degree and another 22% have college certificates and diplomas, making up more than half the population. This would make Alberta one of the most educated nations on earth ranking above Japan, Luxembourg, and even Israel for tertiary education attainment.

If Alberta already exports 68 billion dollars’ worth of goods within confederation despite trade barriers, and we already export 148 billion dollars’ worth of goods internationally today, think of the financial potential we would have outside of the restrictive grip of Ottawa. Alberta can and will be a beacon of economic development and growth under our terms and not Canada’s terms.

Alberta can provide North America with more than just oil and gas, our skilled tradespersons and professionals can make Alberta a magnet for high quality manufacturing and professional services. By creating an economic framework that puts Alberta first we can ensure prosperity for future generations while Canadians continue to operate on borrowed time.

Alberta Exports. People are worried we can’t ‘make it on our own’. In 2019, Alberta’s exports to other parts of Canada were valued at $68 billion and $143 billion internationally (ATB The Owl, June 30, 2021). That’s right. Our little province accomplished that. Imagine what we’ll be able to do as a country once we’re free of Ottawa’s red tape and tax regimes!!!

We have a unique opportunity with independence. By leaving the most convoluted constitution on earth with a charter of rights which is arbitrarily enforced, Alberta can design legislation made for Albertans and by Albertans. A modern Albertan government will allow for more effective governance, more transparent governance, and a political process that better represents Albertans. It would be unfair to presume what specifically a modern government would look like because we as a people must realize this, not one independence party.

Today, we are governed under a constitutional monarchy and our head of state is the Queen of England. A new modern government can explore new ways of voting, become a republic, have one assembly or two, and all of this can be decided on by you, an Albertan.

This modern government would mean that Albertans could have the potential to explore bold ideas that in some cases could benefit Albertans that are alive today, in other cases benefit only our children and grandchildren. Albertans can finally utilize our natural resources to their fullest potential, explore bold and rewarding pension strategies, strengthen workers rights, and introduce political reforms that would ensure an efficient and transparent government. Ask yourselves how transparent our provincial government is today or how solvent the Canada Pension Plan is for anyone under the age of 50.

Ask yourself if you think worthwhile pension reform would be possible today. Ask yourself if a referendum held tomorrow would obligate the government to stand by the decision of the people. A modern independent Albertan government will always put the interests of Albertans before anyone else. It is time decisions made about our homeland are made by those living in it, not someone from Ottawa, or Quebec, or the House of Windsor.

Alberta can exist as a beacon of freedom and liberty that respects the rights of it’s citizens and inspires other peoples to demand the same thing from their governments. Today the common complaint for Albertans is that the Canadian system restricts their rights and liberties, this is nowhere more apparent than with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms:

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.

This sentence comes before every single right and freedom allowed by the Crown to Canadians. Every right and freedom has reasonable limits and the government of Canada can set those limits. In an independent Alberta rights granted will not be stripped from citizens, the Wildrose Independence Party understands that a social contract is null and void if one party violates the terms within it. Albertans are cut from a different cloth than Canadians and we should have freedoms that more accurately reflect this. Join the Wildrose Independence Party and help shape this conversation now so It can be better discussed in a future, independent Alberta.

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In 2017 we ranked 9th on the World Freedom Index (www.worldfreedomindex.com). The criteria are economic freedom, freedom in the world, and freedom of the press. While no current update has been provided, four years later, much has changed. Especially for Albertans.

We were already in incredibly bad shape going into covid. As of the end of January 2021 20% more had shut their doors because of covid restrictions. That was six months ago, the updated numbers have yet to come out.

Had we truly been the freedom loving province we pride ourselves on, this wouldn’t have happened. Instead, a much more calculated plan would have been put in place that works for Albertans, not dictated by Ottawa and unelected health officials who have not knowledge of how to look at the whole picture when it comes to the health of a province and her people. As an independent nation, we would’ve had the freedom to make decisions that made sense for us. As a result, the people and families behind these businesses would still be seeing the fruit of their labor rather than have it shut down because of bureaucrats.

Covid aside, our economic freedom has been stolen from us in other ways that won’t go away until we are independent. Legislating an ‘environmental emergency’ has given Ottawa every jurisdiction over how we expand development of our resources. This is why so many projects have been cancelled for no reason. Cancelling these projects has cost our province over 100,000 jobs. In November 2016 we peaked at 9% unemployment. June of last year was almost 16% and we lead the country in insolvencies for the 4th year in a row. Insolvencies up in Canada in November, Alberta helping lead the way | Globalnews.ca

The discussion of a separate Alberta has been a topic since our founding in September of 1905. In the more than 100 years since we have grown as a people and technology has changed, but some things never did. Then, just like now, Alberta feeds Canada, once this was more in the physical form of wheat and today it is not only in monetary form, but the raw product used to physically create that money. Then, just like now, those living here and those who desire to live here are driven by a strong desire for a way of life that is not found in Canada or much of the world.

Alberta is different and Albertans are different. It is time we put our interests before that of those wishing to exploit us by building not just a political movement but by building up all of those beaten down by Canadians and politicians loyal to Canada instead of Alberta. The Wildrose Independence Party wants to transform Alberta into a global economic leader, a jurisdiction that respects the rights of those living within it, and give Albertans the modern government it truly deserves. We can’t do it alone though…

We need you as a member, we need your household as members, we need your friends as members, and we need your community as members. We need farmers, tradespeople, receptionists, nurses, teachers, pavers, business owners of all sizes, mothers, fathers, grandparents, and the next generation to help us make something we can all be proud of… Something that is made by Albertans, for Albertans and something so great it will outlive our grandchildren.

None of this will be easy, but nothing worth fighting for comes as an easy fight. We need constituency associations, candidates, policies and policy experts, yes we do need donations, but on top of all of that we need each other. Even if you don’t buy a membership or donate to the party, join with us and help shape an independent Alberta.