New Year Update 2022

I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year, and that you're having a great 2022 so far.

While our team managed to find a little time to rest, Project Confederation didn't slow down too much over the holidays - there's always plenty of work to be done!

In fact, I even had the honour of being featured in a National Post column addressing the frustrations that we all feel regarding our place in confederation.

In case you missed the article over the break, you can click the image above to read it in full.

Otherwise, I've included a few highlights below, for those who don't have the time.

The article, and my interview with Tyler Dawson, were both wide-ranging, but he was particularly interested in my perspective on how the issues today compare with the issues from 20 years ago.

Specifically, he asked me what my response was to the criticism that the solutions we've been proposing to the Western alienation problem are "old" solutions, that are somehow out of date.

My response, as printed, was as follows:

“It does seem like they’re old solutions, but like, the fact that they’re still around is emblematic of the fact that the problems are very similar, and that the solutions haven’t been undertaken."

The simple fact is that these so-called "old" problems were never solved and the passage of time alone doesn't make the problems go away, nor degrade the suitability of the solutions.

It didn't make the final article, but I also made the point that all the current solutions aren't actually the same as the solutions from 20 years ago, as many new issues have also developed, while some of the old issues have become far more critical and - if anything - require more radical solutions today than they did in the past.

Dawson also asked me about the current state of the movement.

I said that a new generation of conservative Albertans is experiencing “the same undercurrent of frustration” as previous ones, but also noted that there is an inevitable correlation between levels of frustration and demand for separation.

“In 2019, Wexit was filling rooms. There’s a lot of people who’ve given up on the concept of remaining in the country. The hope is that by alleviating some frustrations and grievances that we can help fix the problem or at least minimize it.”

I know that some of our more hardened separatist supporters might not like this point.

But it's important to remember that pursuing policies like a provincial police force, ending equalization, free trade, and/or reforms to the Senate will improve our great province whether you support full separation for Alberta, or not.

If your preference is for Alberta to remain in Confederation, then we need these reforms to convince Albertans that it's worth staying.

If your preference is for Alberta to leave Confederation, then we need these reforms to get Alberta ready to leave.

Yes, there's a tension there between those two points, but the path Alberta will likely end up taking will, in large part, be determined by the approach Ottawa takes to negotiating with Alberta.

If Ottawa ignores our demands and treats us unreasonably, that will inevitably push more and more Albertans into the separatist camp.

Either way, Project Confederation's focus will continue to be focused on promoting the best public policy for Alberta and Albertans, and working towards getting the best deal for Alberta, in whatever legal configuration that ultimately requires.

As we move into 2022, and are hopefully able to resume in-person events soon, we invite you to join us in this fight.

If you’re ready to get involved, please click here to sign up to volunteer.

If you can help fund our ongoing activism work, please click here to make a donation.

I look forward to seeing you all soon. 

Regards,

Josh Andrus
Executive Director
Project Confederation