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After Pierre Poilievre and his Conservative Party of Canada allowed its 25-point lead and near-certain installation as a majority government to slip away, cries of western separatism echoed from Saskatchewan to the Rocky Mountains.
There was also a rising sentiment toward blaming everything except the Conservative party itself. The Liberals did this, the Liberals did that, and that’s why we lost. So goes the refrain.
News flash: blaming the victor for your loss is a bit like a hockey team whining the other team shouldn’t have scored more goals.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre (Chris Young / The Canadian Press files)
To his credit, Poilievre has shown far more decorum. There were no cries of rigged elections. No summoning of supporters to an armed insurrection on Parliament Hill. No calls for the Supreme Court — or any other court, for that matter — to intervene.
He congratulated Prime Minister Mark Carney and shushed the boo-birds. He vowed to continue in the role of Leader of the Official Opposition, to hold the government to account, to fight for Canadians.
Now, it looks like Poilievre’s seat in the House of Commons is certain, after announcing Damien Kurek, the Conservative MP-elect from the Battle River-Crowfoot riding northeast of Calgary, would step aside and trigger a byelection so Poilievre could run. It’s perhaps the most solid Tory seat in Canada, so victory is all but certain.
Still, what happens if the province in which your preferred party leader has a seat… separates from Canada?
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Rhetorical questions aside, a western separation raises questions that should be part of any attempt to educate the public prior to a referendum: how much of the federal debt will the provinces repay? What effect will separation have on residents’ Canadian Pension Plan holdings? Who will provide military support? What happens to all the unemployed Alberta and Saskatchewan federal employees? How much would a border crossing on every road between you and the rest of Canada cost?
The consequences of separation should give any voter pause, regardless of political affiliation.
It’s also pretty tiring to hear premiers say the continued existence of Canada depends on installing the government they want.
Since 2015, Canada has transferred almost $6 billion. That doesn’t mention the $4.7 billion Canada spent to buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline nor the estimated total cost of $34 billion for the pipeline. If that’s “being disrespected,” I’ll take some of that disrespect, please.
On another note, the Free Press is thrilled to announce a new initiative, Canada Proud. We’ve partnered with local artist Kai Barteski on mugs, totes, shirts and more. It’s not just about merchandise, it’s also about finding new ways to fund journalism.
Finally, we wish farewell to Free Press business columnist Martin Cash, whose last day was Thursday. Marty is cashing in after a 36-year career as the province’s pre-eminent business writer. Enjoy retirement, Marty!
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