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Western alienation
People will not hear a scream, but will strain to hear a whisper.
1. Equalization Payments
The 3 Western provinces often do not get equalization payments like the rest of Canada does. There is
very good reason for such. Equalization in short means that everyone in Canada must have access to
basic levels of services. In an ideal world, each province would make sufficient income to supply
services to it's population. Quebec gets the most because net income vs. population is very low.
13B goes to even things out. Ontario is the next highest for the same reason but Ontario plus
the other 8 recipients collectively get 11B. The 3 provinces of the west earn so much more than
their population that the owness is on them to supply the basic needs. The fact that Alberta would
rather pick court challenges, run angry Ads, and sow descent at the Federal government instead of
putting money into Education, Health care, Infrastructure and housing is a shame.
2. Barriers to Inter-provincial Trade
There has been talk from the western provinces that trade with other provinces has been a major
problem. BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, PEI, and Nova Scotia have been actively
making one offs to work on clearing barriers. Notably missing are Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and
Newfoundland/labrador and the territories. In the up coming Premiers conference it is hoped a more
well defined free trade agreement can be made. At stake is about 200B GDP increase for Canada and about
20B GDP for each region.
3. Tariffs
In the previous Cusma agreement that trump is now ignoring, BC was hit hard in the Lumber and
fruit industries including wines. Trump is now looking to increase tariffs on these industries.
Alberta under the agreement sells it's Oil and gas to the USA at a far less than market rate.
Trump is tariffing this too now. Farmers, Ranchers, and small business in Alberta are not getting
attension from the Alberta Premier or the Federal government which is fueling unrest. Saskatchewan
was hit with high tariffs on Canola from China in retaliation for banning chinese electric vehicles.
Trump has put 25% tariffs on Potash sales. So the western provinces are shouldering a high burden
under the previous CUSMA and current Federal position.
All is not lost though. Free inter-provincial trade and PM Carney's housing plans are sure to ease
BC's concerns in it's Industries and funding for ports, LNG facilities will add big growth to the
economy. Alberta for all it's screaming, might try whispering. CUSMA is ideally up for re-negotiation.
Trump having violated the agreement can not expect the same lower price on Oil and gas. Grain and
livestock sales to the USA can be adjusted and new markets for product are in the plans. For
Saskatchewan, CUSMA re-negotiation means the sales of Potash, grains, and livestock going south
can be made more fair. New Markets will improve viability. As for the ban on Electric cars from China
I would hope that a negotiated agreement on human rights reform and possibly assembly here might be
done. To meet our target of being net zero on vehicles by 2040 requires 10,000 new EV's per day
and current world wide production is a mere 34,000 per day with Canada getting about 100 per day.
4. Electricity production cap
Alberta has it's nose out of joint here. Alberta uses fossil fuel to produce Electricity.
The Federal government controls air pollution under commitment to the Paris climate accord. The
EU, UK will NOT open markets for her desired Oil and gas sales if we break the agreement.
She has the ability to develop Geo-thermo, Solar and Wind to meet needs. True, she will loose
royalties from LNG used for electric production but will gain possibly 100 times more from LNG sales
to new markets.
5. Industry Carbon levy
The Alberta premier demands C-69 be repealed and the carbon levy which she calls a tax be removed.
Like in point 4, it is there to force Industry to take measures to stop polluting and develop measures
to capture and store emissions. The more they capture the lower the levy.
6. Oil and gas production cap
The Alberta premier demands the removal of carbon emission caps so she can produce as much as she
wants. What good will it do to remove the cap if it means all new markets disappear? I am sure even
a child can understand that somethings have consequences.
7. Pipelines West, East, North
The Alberta premier demands C-69 or the no pipelines act be resinded. Industry investors would
love this because they can make so much unrestricted money that actually doesn't stay here in Canada.
Extract Oil and gas, send it south to be processed and sell it back to Canada at high cost. Don't cover
the cost of pollution just like the 1000's of orphaned wells they never cleaned up. PM Carney has a plan
to revise the C-69, work with Indiginous leaders and provinces to build pipelines through investment.
8. Supply to tide water
The Alberta premier demands access to tide water to sell Oil and gas but never mentions grain
or livestock sales. It's not Alberta's only industry. She hollars "you must force BC and the east
to allow us to sell to markets". This is so rich because in the same breath she will complain about
how sick she is of having the Feds poke their nose into Alberta's business with controls on
carbon emissions in the air. Guess she is just a juvenile brat wanting what she can't have.
9. Other Markets
10. Separation threats
The Alberta premier can threaten all she wants. The First Nations, Meate, and Inuit peoples own the
land and share it by treaty with Canada. A vote to separate just means Alberta guest residents must leave
Alberta with just what they can carry. Few Albertans know that we are guests here.