Unity not separation
November 18, 2025
Paul McKinstry’s recent letter argues that Alberta’s future lies in separation. I disagree–strongly–and not because of nostalgia, but because history and evidence show that division has never improved the lives of ordinary people. Strong communities do that. Cooperation does that. Separation has repeatedly done the opposite.
We don’t need to speculate about the economic consequences of secession talk; Canada already lived through it. Decades of uncertainty around Quebec’s political future led to capital flight, stalled investment, downgraded credit ratings, and tens of thousands of jobs relocating to Ontario. Even talk of separation can destabilize a provincial economy, and economists across the spectrum agree that business investment depends on stability, predictability, and confidence in long-term rules–not constitutional brinkmanship.
Much of the anger in the separation discussion comes from misunderstandings about equalization. Equalization is not a punishment; it is a constitutionally established program (Constitution Act, 1982, s.36) designed to ensure all Canadians can access reasonably comparable public services no matter where they live. Payments go to people–not provinces–and revenue differences are calculated every year based on national economic data. The last major review of the formula was indeed undertaken by a Conservative federal government under Stephen Harper. Alberta does not “write a cheque” to Ottawa; Albertans simply pay federal taxes at the same rate as every Canadian, and the federal government redistributes based on relative fiscal capacity, not political favouritism.
If we are looking for the true sources of Alberta’s economic challenges, we should be honest: Alberta governments–of all political stripes–made long-term policy choices that allowed multinational energy corporations to extract tremendous wealth while leaving Albertans with limited savings, low royalties, and a Heritage Fund that never lived up to its promise. None of this was caused by Ottawa.
We should also acknowledge the profound harm caused by years of cuts and political hostility toward education. Strong educational institutions help citizens understand how Canada works, how policy is made, and how to engage constructively in national decisions. Undermining education makes it easier to blame Ottawa for every challenge and harder to build practical solutions here at home.
The idea that separation would magically boost pensions, slash taxes, build pipelines overnight, or solve structural economic issues ignores constitutional law, international trade realities, the complexity of disentangling a federation, and the decades of disruption Alberta would face. Independence movements elsewhere—from Quebec to Scotland to Catalonia—show that the cost of separation is far higher, the benefits far smaller, and the uncertainty far more destabilizing than advocates admit.
Alberta’s strength has never come from turning inward or cutting ourselves off. It has come from building communities, educating citizens, welcoming new ideas, and working collaboratively–even when we disagree.
Division won’t secure a future for our children. Building a resilient, educated, forward-looking Alberta within a stable Canada will.
Julie Girard,
Camrose
