Juno News - October 24, 2019


Trudeau's re-election unleashes western alienation


Episode Stats

Length

3 minutes

Words per Minute

176.88919

Word Count

696

Sentence Count

28


Summary

What does the West want out of Canada? Is it time for a Wexit? What does Canada need to do to deal with the growing problem of Western alienation? In this episode, True North's Andrew Lutton and I discuss the impact of Justin Trudeau's election loss in the Alberta and Saskatchewan vote, and the implications for the rest of the country.


Transcript

00:00:00.000 Even though the Conservatives lost the election this week, one thing was apparent Justin Trudeau
00:00:13.620 is not the most popular guy in the West, not even close. The Conservatives had effectively
00:00:19.220 a sweep of Alberta and Saskatchewan unseating several Liberals including longtime Liberal
00:00:24.560 stalwart Ralph Goodale. But what's most interesting about this is that there was a
00:00:29.220 Google spike, a Google spike for Western alienation and specifically Alberta separatism
00:00:36.220 in the minutes after Justin Trudeau's minority government was basically announced by news
00:00:42.080 networks which means that the West is saying another Justin Trudeau term, I don't even want
00:00:46.480 to be in the country for that. Now Western alienation is not new, Alberta separatism is not new but
00:00:52.320 this may be the boiling point for this sentiment to become more than just chatter online but to
00:00:58.300 actually become a full-blown movement. Now I asked Andrew Scheer about this at a press conference
00:01:03.100 the day after the election. I said, look, you've been clear that Justin Trudeau does not have a
00:01:07.600 mandate in Alberta, Saskatchewan but still these people who voted for the Conservatives are going
00:01:11.940 to be governed by Justin Trudeau. Here's this exchange with Andrew Scheer. We've seen over the
00:01:16.740 last 14 hours growing talk online of Alberta separation and more broadly brewing for the last
00:01:23.460 several months and a boiling point last night of Western alienation. What is your message to
00:01:28.920 Albertan Conservatives, Saskatchewan Conservatives that are basically ready to throw in the towel on
00:01:33.720 Canada? Well I believe in Canada and I believe that this country can work for all Canadians in all
00:01:38.700 provinces. So my message to the people of Alberta and Saskatchewan is we hear you loud and clear. We will
00:01:43.200 fight for you. We will do everything we can to make sure that this Liberal government understands that
00:01:47.760 it has to change course. It cannot continue to attack our energy sector, to kill big projects that get
00:01:54.640 our natural resources around the world and that we will do everything we can to get our energy sector
00:01:59.280 back on its feet and make sure that all Canadians understand that when Western Canada succeeds,
00:02:03.760 all Canadians succeed. Manufacturing jobs in Ontario and Quebec rely on a growing energy sector.
00:02:10.000 Refinery jobs in Atlantic Canada depend on a strong and vibrant energy sector. We will do
00:02:15.840 that very important work. We will be that strong voice. This is the first step and we will continue
00:02:21.680 to fight and prepare for when this government falls we'll be ready to replace it. Andrew Scheer's message
00:02:27.520 to those dealing with Western alienation, to those thinking that maybe it's time for a Wexit as it's
00:02:32.640 being called, is that you know what I hear the frustrations, I hear the issues, but Canada has to stay united.
00:02:38.560 Don't give up on Canada. So Andrew Scheer who is a Westerner himself from Saskatchewan is saying,
00:02:43.840 we cannot let Justin Trudeau's win justify breaking up the country and indeed people have been fighting
00:02:49.600 against this sentiment from Quebec for decades now. But there is a significant question of what
00:02:54.800 Western alienation is going to look like after Justin Trudeau has continued along with his policies,
00:03:00.400 specifically those that are targeting the oil and gas sector, those policies that are really at odds
00:03:05.520 with Canada's energy industry. Now this is something that's going to be brought up at a conference in
00:03:09.920 Red Deer in a couple of weeks, a Freedom Talk in which I'm actually a speaker and the topics of
00:03:15.200 discussion are really centered along what does Alberta do now, what does the West do now. You know
00:03:20.560 back in the reform days it was always about the West wants in, it was let us have a seat at the table.
00:03:25.760 People in Alberta are now saying that just hasn't happened and I fear that's going to become the West
00:03:31.280 wants out. And Justin Trudeau cannot have on his conscience, nor should any Prime Minister,
00:03:37.200 a record of breaking apart the country from East and West, losing Quebec, losing Alberta. But this
00:03:42.480 is a sentiment that's rising that needs to be addressed. From Regina for True North, I'm Andrew Lutton.