Alberta Fact Check: Could constitutional reform head off the independence movement?
There has been no discussion at high levels of government on opening the constitution to address Western alienation.
An outspoken federalist said the quiet part out loud and made it clear that constitutional changes in favour of Alberta are never coming.
Former Mulroney staffer and vocal opponent to Alberta independence David McLaughlin posted on X, “No evidence an 'Alberta Round' of constitutional reform is either pending or plausible in the country.”
This was in response to an X posting where author and former Chief of Staff to Stephen Harper, Ian Brodie said, “It would also be good to hear what changes he plans to make to our constitutional arrangements so we stop falling into these problems.”
Brodie was responding to a CTV article about a pending visit to Calgary from Prime Minister Mark Carney. McLaughlin’s statement is true and passes scrutiny.
There has been no discussion at high levels of government on opening the constitution to address Western alienation. Such an initiative isn’t plausible, as Canada learned with the failed Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords.
Constitutional reform in Canada is virtually impossible. Especially if such reforms involved benefiting the West, which currently disproportionately funds the East. Most provinces of Canada benefit from the lopsided Senate and the ongoing fiscal drain of Alberta; the 7/10 formula required for constitutional reforms will never be achieved.
What was unusual in McLaughlin’s statement was the honesty of it.
Alberta has two choices: accept the status quo in perpetuity, or pursue independence.
Cory Morgan
Cory Morgan is an Alberta-based columnist, political commentator, and longtime advocate for Western Canadian independence. He is the author of the recently updated book The Sovereigntist’s Handbook, a grassroots guide for independence supporters and political activists.
http://sovereigntistshandbook.com/
