The recently concluded Canadian parliamentary elections threw a hung house which has resulted in a minority government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. During Trudeau’s first term, Canada’s west comprising of Alberta and Saskatchewan had been constantly ignored and things reached a boiling point when it became clear that Trudeau would be coming back by forming a minority government.
Western Exit or Wexit has gained traction since the re-election of Trudeau as Canada’s Prime Minister finally forcing Trudeau to take cognisance of the West’s issues. The West’s economies are heavily dependent on natural resources and oil and have received little or no support from the Trudeau government when it comes to their economy.
Instead, Trudeau’s plans on Climate Change will deliver a devastating blow to Alberta’s policy. Alberta has plenty of oil which doesn’t sit well with the Trudeau government’s policies as it halts the construction of oil pipelines. The term “western alienation” is often used to describe the feeling amongst those in Canada’s western provinces – Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and British Columbia – that the rest of the country looks down on them, ignores them and does not have their best interest in mind.
The West has been disenchanted with Ottawa because they no longer have a voice in Canada’s parliament. With 34 seats, Alberta takes up only about 10% of Canada’s parliament, the House of Commons. But economically, the oil-producing province contributes 17% to the country’s GDP. Then there are the equalisation payments, the money that “have not” provinces receive from the federal government. Alberta contributes billions a year to the federal tax pool because of its strong economy but has not received a payment since 1965 which didn’t change even when Alberta was hit with a devastating financial crisis. The years starting from 2014 till 2016 was the worst phase for the oil industry as there was an overabundance of supply which resulted in the region losing over 100,000 jobs and a recession and the Canadian government couldn’t have cared less. The economic recovery of the region has continued to be fragile as several pipeline projects are stuck owing to the environmental concerns.
Trudeau’s pledge to phase out Alberta Oil Sands by 2050 has only further infuriated the region as the independence campaign gains prominence. Alberta’s economy is in the focus as its oil sands contribute about 11% of Canada’s Greenhouse gases as the debate of Earth vs Economy picks up pace in Canada as Oil Sands are the lifeline of Alberta’s economy and play a major role in Canada’s prosperity.
A recent poll by Ipsos says 33 per cent of Albertans said yes when asked if their province would be better off if it separated from Canada – eight points higher than a year ago. In Saskatchewan, the number of respondents who said yes to the same question was 27 per cent, up nine points. According to a poll conducted by Think HQ in early October, 71 per cent of respondents believe policies under the Trudeau government are hurting the quality of life in Alberta. That’s compared to 15 per cent who felt the opposite.
Trudeau who often hobnobbed with Khalistan whose sole agenda is to divide India would be better advised to focus inwards and address the grievances of the West instead of destabilising other countries. The weak leadership of Trudeau is leading to separatist movements like Wexit gaining in strength as Trudeau has been unable to keep the country together.