Conservative Party of Canada MP Arnold Viersen told the St. Alberta Gazette, “I don’t think separation is the solution,” before pitching a plan to stay the course in making demands upon Ottawa without attaining results.

Viersen was one of four MPs who were signatories of the Buffalo Declaration, which was released six years ago. The declaration spelled out the unfair status of the federation in no uncertain terms with statements such as “Eastern Canada functionally treats Alberta as a colony, rather than an equal partner.“ and “Alberta is not, and has never been, an equal participant in Confederation.”

The document then speaks of the path forward through listing 12 structural solutions and five policy solutions that Ottawa could embrace.

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The declaration was ignored, and none of its demands were debated in Ottawa, much less enshrined.

The declaration was reminiscent of the Alberta Agenda (also known as the Firewall Letter), which was penned over 25 years ago by several prominent Albertans including Stephen Harper. None of its expressed goals have been achieved in Alberta.

Ironically, Mr. Viersen told the Gazette, “I would say we have a more of a get it done attitude and we’re more results oriented rather than process oriented.” Open letters and declarations have a zero percent success rate in achieving change for Alberta within the federation.

Albertans are results-oriented, and the approach used by Viersen and company garnered none. That’s why the debate is now about independence rather than writing more letters and sending wish lists to Ottawa.

Citizens are tired of asking and waiting. They are now taking on the “get it done” attitude Viersen mentioned, and they are doing it through an independence referendum.