Four more former Conservative MPs are backing the province’s potential separation from Canada and one wants Albertans to consider closer ties with the United States, arguing that the province should pursue the option with the lowest tax burden, whether as an independent country or as an American state or a territory.

“If we have an unreasonable federal government,” said former Conservative MP Rob Anders in an interview with The Hill Times. “We would need the recognition of the president of the United States and … the U.S. State Department. And then it comes down to what’s the most advantageous tax situation.”

Anders, who represented the riding of Calgary West from 1997 to 2015, identified several policy areas in which he believed Ottawa should grant Alberta greater autonomy, including judicial appointments, a police force, property rights, firearms licensing, corporate tax collection, pension-plan management, and environmental regulations. He said Alberta could save as much as $12-billion annually by collecting its own corporate taxes, and administering its own pension plan and employment insurance system.

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, who currently represents a rural Alberta riding, wants Alberta to remain in Canada. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Anders said Alberta should seek independence only if Ottawa refuses to provide the province with greater autonomy, and if a majority of Albertans vote in favour of separation. If those conditions are met, he said Alberta should become an independent country and explore a range of options for a future with the U.S.

One possibility, he said, could be joining America as its 51st state, under which Albertans would have to pay U.S. taxes, which he argued are generally lower than Canadian income taxes but would still be a tax burden. Another option, he said, would be for Alberta to become a U.S. territory similar to Puerto Rico or Guam, pointing out that residents of those territories generally do not pay federal income taxes, with exceptions for those employed by the federal government or if the income is earned from the U.S. mainland.

He said that regardless of the outcome of this October’s separation referendum, Alberta would be in a stronger position to negotiate with Ottawa. As an example, he pointed to Quebec’s two past unsuccessful sovereignty referendums, saying that although the separatist side was defeated, Quebec still secured a number of concessions from the federal government. He said the separatist Parti Québécois could form government after the next provincial election this fall. If that happens, he said, Alberta should work closely with the incoming government in Quebec to pursue more provincial autonomy in the areas he identified.

Last month, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced that the Oct. 19 referendum, which will have questions about other issues like immigration and constitutional reforms, will also include a question about whether Albertans want a binding referendum on the province leaving Canada. “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?” will be the question that Albertans will vote on in the fall referendum.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper will campaign for the ‘remain’ side, making a case to Albertans that the province should stay part of Canada. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Smith has said publicly that she’s on the “remain” side, and want her province to stay a part of Canada. Similarly, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre (Battle River-Crowfoot, Alta.) and all Conservative MPs are on the “remain” side. Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, former cabinet minister and Alberta premier Jason Kenney, and former cabinet minister Monte Solberg are some of the other prominent Conservatives who are planning on campaigning for the “remain” side.

Anders said he understands why Poilievre and the current Conservative caucus are in support of Alberta staying part of Canada. It’s because, he said, the leader has to get votes in all regions of the country, including Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces to form government. Without mentioning Harper’s name, Anders mentioned the “firewall letter” that Harper co-wrote along with five other high-profile Conservatives in 2001 in which he called on then-Alberta premier Ralph Klein to build a constitutional firewall and create its own pension plan, tax collection regime, provincial police force, and more control over health care.

“All of these steps can be taken using the constitutional powers that Alberta now possesses. In addition, we believe it is imperative for you to take all possible political and legal measures to reduce the financial drain on Alberta caused by Canada’s tax-and-transfer system,” Harper wrote in his 2001 letter when he was president of the National Citizens’ Coalition.

The letter was co-signed by Prof. Tom Flanagan, who in the past had also served as director of research for the Reform Party; Prof. Ted Morton, who was also an Alberta Senator-elect; Prof. Rainer Knopff; Andrew Crooks, then-chairman of Canadian Taxpayers Federation; and Ken Boessenkool, who was at that time a prominent provincial and federal political staffer.

Even if Tories were to form government, nothing would change: ex-MP Hanger

Former Conservative MP Eric Lowther, who represented the riding of Calgary Centre from 1997 to 2000, told The Hill Times that he supports Alberta’s independence, but is against the idea of the province becoming either an American state or territory.

Lowther spent six months working as a regional co-ordinator for Stay Free Alberta, helping organize the recent petition campaign aimed at triggering a referendum on Alberta’s future. However, he expressed disappointment that, despite gathering the required signatures, the premier called a “referendum on a referendum” rather than a direct vote on independence.

As part of the campaign, Lowther said, he trained hundreds of volunteers who collected signatures from “many thousands” of Albertans. For the signature campaign, Lowther served as the regional co-ordinator for the Airdrie, Bearspaw, and Cochrane areas.

“It was a very onerous process; it wasn’t easy,” said Lowther. “Everybody had to be trained, they had to be licensed by or approved by Elections Alberta, they had to wear a badge, they had certain scripts, they couldn’t be out there pressuring anybody. … I managed that, and we got thousands and thousands and thousands of signatures in my area on the petition, so I was very grateful to those people.”

Former Conservative cabinet minister Jay Hill describes himself as a ‘reluctant separatist’ who wants Alberta to leave Canada. The Hill Times file photograph

Former Alberta Conservative MP Art Hanger, who represented the riding of Calgary Northeast, said he supports Alberta’s separation from Canada. First elected to Parliament in 1993, he served until 2008 as a member of the Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance, and later the Conservative Party. He argued the 2003 merger between the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party to form the Conservative Party was a mistake.

Hanger pointed to the Bloc Québécois, which he said has been able to secure concessions for Quebec without ever forming government, while remaining a regional party and a powerful political force in that province. When asked whether the merger was necessary because it enabled the right-of-centre party to form government between 2006 and 2015, Hanger said: “Well, that’s fair enough. You could say that, but what did he [Harper] do to alleviate the problem of the stranglehold that Eastern Canada has on Alberta? Nothing. Also, I mean, I can appreciate him saying that, and I can appreciate some other people saying that, but ultimately he did not protect Alberta. He did not protect us. He did not protect the West.”

Prior to the merger, the Jean Chrétien Liberals had won three back-to-back elections with a majority because right-of-centre support was divided between the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservatives. Had the merger not have happened, the then-Paul Martin Liberals could have won another massive majority.

Hanger said it doesn’t surprise him that Poilievre and Conservative caucus members are in support of keeping Canada united because, without that, they cannot win an election and form government. He said that even if the Conservatives were to form government after the next election, nothing would change.

“We will still be faced with the same dilemma, and that is Eastern interests putting the screws to Alberta and Saskatchewan, and to a large degree, British Columbia,” said Hanger.

“So, why should we keep repeating the same problem over and over and over again? If these leaders really wanted to do what was just and right, they would stand up right now and say it, and take that issue to heart, and they would get the support of all of Alberta, all of the western provinces, for sure, but they won’t do it. They’ve already sold out, and they don’t like hearing that kind of conversation. They don’t like it, but that’s the truth of the matter.”


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According to a recent poll by Ipsos Research released on June 6, only 19 per cent of Albertans intended to vote for a binding referendum and 72 per cent to stay within the federation. This is a 10-per-cent decline in support for the “leave” side since January.

But, former Conservative MP LaVar Payne said he is not worried about polls, and that public opinion keeps on changing. He declined, however, to give his prediction on what percentage of Albertans would vote for separation. Payne also said he wants Alberta to become an independent country, and not an American state or territory.

“I want Alberta to be an independent sovereign nation,” said Payne, who represented the riding of Medicine Hat from 2008 to 2015.

“I don’t want to join the U.S. As far as I know, most of the people who want Alberta to become independent don’t want to be part of the U.S., either.”

Last week, The Hill Times reported that four former Conservative MPs—Jay Hill, Val Meredith, Leon Benoit and Allan Kerpan—want Alberta to become an independent nation.

arana@hilltimes.com

The Hill Times

 

Abbas Rana is the assistant deputy editor at The Hill Times. He reports on parliamentary caucuses, nomination contests, party leadership campaigns, Prime Minister’s Office, and cabinet. Rana loves to chat with sources on the record or on a not-for-attribution basis, especially when they have verifiable story tips that could be followed as news stories. Born and raised in Pakistan, Rana speaks Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. See all stories BY ABBAS RANA