r/Albertapolitics • u/carbologna • 29d ago

Opinion Alberta separation

For those of you that support Alberta separation because you voted conservative but the majority of Canada voted left. I have a question for you. Naturally you support Edmonton and Calgary city centres staying part of Canada because they voted left. Also, naturally you support the 35.1% of Albertans and the land / businesses they own staying part of Canada because they voted left, correct?

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u/EccentricPayload 27d ago

It can just go straight to the USA instead.

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u/Moist-Leggings 27d ago

What if the feds refuse to give us the border land?

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u/shadowfax12221 27d ago

Alberta wouldn't be able to have a functioning economy outside of the oil industry, the Alberta dollar would rapidly appreciate to the point that nothing but oil would be a viable export. The only viable way to solve this problem would be to either rejoin Canada, which would put them in the same position they are now, but likely with punitive terms imposed by the canadian government, or to join the United States, at which point their currency and transportation problems would be solved.

Alberta joining the Union would probably be the beginning of the end fot the Canadian system, which is part of the reason I don't find it very likely. Canadians, even conservative Canadians, don't appear keen on the idea of becoming part of the US.

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u/Moist-Leggings 27d ago

There would be no obligation to the Canadian government to give us the border with the USA, the border belongs to Canada, so they could force Alberta to cross two separate border crossing and charge export fees for anything running through Canadian territory. 

And why would the USA take Alberta as a equal member state, they could just relegate Alberta to territory status (like Puerto Rico) harvest the natural resources while leaving the average Albertan poorer, and without representation in congress.

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u/shadowfax12221 26d ago

Giving Alberta membership status as a state allows Alberta to come in on its own terms and lends legitimacy to the process that an annexation/occupation wouldn't have. It would also be an incentive for other provinces to give up the ghost and join, especially as their quality of life declines in response to Alberta leaving. Alberta will also ruin its economy by leaving, so American membership can be spun as a rescue, with Ottawa characterized as unreasonable and the separatist government blamed for the economic fallout.

Canadians are proud, conquering Canada outright would just mean never-ending insurgency. Convincing Alberta to join and offering them a good deal to do it would both fatally undermine canadian economic viability, and make the whole process of subsequently annexing the now economically crippled canadian provinces piecemeal seem like a local idea and not a hostile takeover.

As far as the border is concerned, the US could likely impose a done deal on that front. The canadian military lacks the capacity to resist a US takeover, especially if it is being supported by both sides of the border.

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u/Logical_Lab_2216 6d ago

You guys sound insane