Oh Canada!

by Ted Flint

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, the Comey indictment and the Left’s daily onslaught against President Trump have crowded out a very important development taking place in The Great White North. The province of Alberta has formally filed a petition to secede from Canada, a key step in the process toward a possible independence referendum in the fall. “Stay Free Alberta,” the group behind the separatist movement says it’s garnered some 300,000 signatures, more than the 178,000, or 10 percent required for the referendum campaign. At issue is Alberta’s displeasure over Ottawa’s prioritizing climate initiatives over development of the province’s oil and natural gas industry. Sound familiar?

Despite widespread support for the referendum many polls show a vast majority of Albertans would vote against any separation. A February survey by the polling firm Abacus Data shows only 25 percent favor splitting from Canada. Another citizen-led group “Forever Canadian” has collected 400,000 signatures opposing any split.

To add fuel to the fire, Jeff Rath, an attorney and one of the organizers for independence, told the BBC members of the movement met with Trump Administration officials to possibly develop a line of credit should Alberta decide to pursue independence. Rath told the BBC, he could envision a future in which Alberta joined the United States: “We have a lot more culturally in common with our neighbors to the south in Montana and with our cousins in Texas, than we do anywhere else.” Of course, President Trump loves to stir the stick. But it is almost a certainty that Alberta will never become part of the United States.

Nearly a decade ago, Spain experienced its own independence movement, as Catalonia organized a referendum to split from Madrid. The national government wasn’t having it. It claimed Catalonia didn’t have legal jurisdiction to hold referendums and the movement was squashed when police arrested Catalonian officials both before and during voting.

Of course, leftists oppose any such moves for independence. Many Western Canadians have said they’ve had enough of liberal rule. And that attitude pervades not just parts of Canada and Spain, but parts of this country too. There is a national divorce underway. Conservative citizens are moving to red states, while the more ideological liberal are flocking to blue states. And it’s only natural. People will choose to reside in states that more closely align with their values. In America, we have that freedom. But there is a process that needs to be followed.

For years, republicans in the New York State Assembly have sponsored bills to separate upstate from downstate. The primary motivation being that too much money and resources flow to New York City. The State Legislature is dominated by leftist politicians, many of whom have never been north of Albany and have no intention of seeing how their policies affect those of us north of the Big Apple. New York is a large state with disparate needs, but much of the focus is on Gotham. The issues that divide both sides are nearly always the same – lower taxes, more local control and opposition to urban-centric policies.

For any secession to be successful both houses of the Legislature would have to adopt identical bills, and the Governor would need to sign the legislation. In the unlikely event that ever happened, Washington would need to green light it. A long shot at best. Other parts of America are having similar discussions. Officials in northern California and southern Oregon, seeking an escape from the oppressive liberal rule of their respective capitals, are seeking to merge and become the 51^st state.

Borders, language, and culture define every nation – especially America. America is still primarily an English-speaking nation with nearly 80 percent speaking the language in their homes. Thanks to an executive order signed by President Trump in March of 2025, English is the official language of the United States. Also, much to the chagrin of globalists, our nation has clearly defined physical borders.

All people should have a right to self-determination, whether they be in Alberta, Canada, Catalonia, Spain or in any state in America.