EDMONTON — Alberta is the best province in Canada. Despite relentless efforts by the federal government to kill the oil and gas industry, the province remains the wealthiest
in the country. The fact that energy companies earn growing, often record profits is not, as Liberal boosters
, evidence that Ottawa is not targeting Alberta. It is, instead, evidence that markets find a way, and a reminder of how much more wealthy all of Canada would be if the federal government just ended its onslaught.
Instead of Alberta separating from Canada, a better solution would be for Canada to join Alberta. By this I don’t
necessarily
mean moving the capital from Ottawa to Edmonton, and I don’t
necessarily
mean I want Alberta to annex the rest of the country, but Canada should become more like Alberta.
Albertans pay zero provincial sales tax, enjoy the
and corporate taxes in the country, as well as among the lowest regulatory burden in Canada. Markets find a way in the province because, by and large, government gets (relatively) out of the way and regular people get to keep more of the money they earn. Having lived in Manitoba and southern Ontario before moving to Edmonton in 2013, there is a noticeable culture of individualism here. Even in the somewhat socialist-friendly city I live in.
It is an attitude that is more open to business, to hard work, and more skeptical of government solutions and infringements on personal liberty, or unnecessary intrusions into the family. Central Canadians may look at Premier Danielle Smith as a kooky extremist. People here are more likely see her as the sensible moderate. Yes, there’s liberal and left-wing opposition in this province not only to the government, but to the culture and ethics that make this place great. But unlike elsewhere in Canada, they do not hold the de facto “correct” position in the province.
Apart from a few spasms during the pandemic, Albertans are generally more tolerant of other opinions. Even the NDP is
pro-oil. So instead of leaving Canada, or trying to convince the rest of the country to leave us alone, Albertans need to do a better job of convincing other Canadians that our way is the superior way.
National Post
