What Am I Bid For This Old Dodge?

By Alan Clark

    The Alberta Alliance Party sent me a news release this week upon which the headline read "Alliance Urges Autonomy Not Separation".

    In response to recent polls showing that Albertans are fast running in the opposite direction from the established provincial parties, the Alliance felt they should tell Albertans that there are "alternatives". According to the party's interim leader Eleanor Maroes;

"The Alberta Alliance wants Ottawa to do three things:

1. Appoint only elected Senators - thereby reforming the Senate without a constitutional amendment

2. Restrict federal spending to areas of federal jurisdiction - thereby decentralizing much of the government

3. Institute citizen's initiative and binding referenda - thereby giving Canadians more control over their own lives."

That's it! Beautiful in it's simplicity isn't it? In essence Eleanor says to Albertans "We'll just ask Ottawa to do what we tell them, butt-out of our affairs and hand over their power to control legislation".

Golly Miss Elly, why didn't someone think of this before?

Unbeknownst to Miss Elly and the rest of the crew over at Alberta Alliance, someone has already had this idea'r. It's not new. William Aberhart had this idea'r as did Peter Lougheed and Don Getty and Elmer Knutson. And perhaps someone should fill Miss Elly in on the fact that there was once another Alliance, the Reform/Alliance, led by this fellow named Prestone of the Mounted, I think it was, who also went all the way to Ottawa to present them personally, with this here idea'r.

They thought it was funny the first time they heard it and my dear Eleanor, they are still laughing. They laugh when Link Byfield says it and when Ted Morton says it. When Eleanor Moroes says it, they merely roll their eyes.

Judging by the recent polls which put 43% of Albertans in favour of talking their way out of Canada, Albertans are also starting to roll their eyes every time one of the usual suspects tries to trade their Cadillac for this old dodge.

Albertans are saying they've had enough. It is clear to them that Canada is not going to change it's political system to include us and Albertans want to start talking about building a new political system that doesn't include them.

It's clear that Albertans are beginning to hear Freedom's call. I doubt that they will allow out of touch politicians to deny them this debate. Not that the effort hasn't been made to keep the genie bottled up. Ian McLellan refused to allow Albertans to talk about separation during his recent "Strengthening Alberta's Place in Confederation" road show. Link Byfield says talk of independence at this time is uncalled for. Ted Morton admonishes the fire wall crowd with warnings that Alberta's gaining independence would be "tragic".

We're done with scripted road shows and dodges. Ted Morton, Link Byfield and the Alberta Alliance are out of touch with the desires of nearly half of Alberta. The only question remaining is "which side are the other half going to come down on"?

Let's ask them.