AN ALBERTAN, NOT A CANADIAN

I used to consider myself an average Canadian. I spent my entire working life in Alberta.

Distroscale

I have watched as Alberta is treated as a cash cow by the federal government. Trudeau has caused our oil industry to languish through his many policies, including Bill C69 and his banning tanker traffic on the west coast. Many Albertans know that buying the Trans Canada pipeline was just a ploy to stall the building of it, and it will probably never be built as Trudeau has stated more than once he wishes to shut down our oilsands.

He has also stated that he knows Alberta is in crisis, but he just pays us lip service and does nothing.

Quebec’s premier comments that they won’t allow any pipelines to be built because of Alberta’s dirty oil. Yet he is quick to take billions from Alberta in equalization payments every year as we struggle with massive debt year to year.

It has personally hit my me as my son in law and daughter had to leave the province to find employment, taking our grandchildren with them.

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It is because of Trudeau and his destructive polices that I no longer consider myself a Canadian, but an Albertan. I will now be adding Quebec products to my boycotting list, which up until now only included British Columbia products. As I write this, I put my Bombardier shares up for sale.

Trudeau is dividing Canada just as his father did, and we are the worse for it.

ED GOSELWITZ

St. ALBERT, ALTA.

(Canada has a proud history and it includes Alberta. It’s up to the federal government to lead for every person in every province.)

ALBERTA, THE 51ST STATE?

Re: Trudeau’s approach to Alberta is damaging national unity, Candice Malcolm column, Dec. 11

Candice Malcolm shocked me. As the train-wreck Alberta economy implodes, I had been nonchalantly discussing the possibility of The Republic of Alberta. Why? Alberta’s great wealth may be permanently stranded by recent aggressive federal legislation and do-gooder environmentalists in neighbouring B.C. and far-off Quebec. But Alberta cannot stand alone. Unlike separation-prone Quebec, Alberta lacks seaports. But Alberta can join the U.S.A.

Can the U.S., under its job-creating president, resist the temptation to add a huge 51st state with oil reserves comparable to Saudi Arabia? (Without, naturally, the human rights issues Saudi Arabia has.) I am willing to bet several billion barrels of oil that President Trump will have Alberta products flowing to market in no time at world prices using an incredibly efficient mode of transport known as “pipelines”. Remember them?

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After a democratic (50 per cent + 1) referendum and orderly transfer of power, Alberta’s diligent population will take its place as the third-largest American state, after Alaska and Texas. The U.S.A. will then replace Canada as the world’s second-largest country.

Imagine it for just a moment: No billions in equalization payments to Quebec, the Maritimes and Ontario. No expensive bilingualism. Second-most importantly, jobs, jobs, jobs. Best of all, no more Justin. Hurrah! Alberta must face the question of whether confederation is working. Madames et Messieurs, je te presente Gov. Jason Kenney.

Which is it, citizens of Alberta? Loyalty to an empty-headed, annoyingly sanctimonious prime minister, including job-killing carbon taxes? Or jobs, jobs, jobs?

DAN NAYLOR

OTTAWA

(Further and dangerous Western alienation will be the price we pay if the government can’t make a difference for those struggling in Alberta.)