The United States of America is ready to recognize an independent Alberta as a de facto nation, if it votes yes in a referendum. What does this mean for the future of Alberta? And why does the U.S. want Alberta to become an independent nation?
00:02:31.500You see, Scott made a couple of points there that are very important.
00:02:34.500For example, take that graphic on the screen right now.
00:02:37.580The economy of Texas is bigger than all of Canada.
00:02:41.120One state, albeit one of the bigger states in the United States and one of the richest states in the U.S.
00:02:48.240But be that as it may, one state of America is bigger than the entirety of Canada, economically speaking.
00:02:55.600And the case that the Secretary of Treasury makes is that an independent Alberta would be a lot wealthier than it is currently.
00:03:01.500Because Canada blocks the development of its resources.
00:03:06.080Canada doesn't allow Alberta to reach its full potential.
00:03:08.780Alberta could be just as rich as Texas.
00:03:11.240If Alberta had access to what it needs, which Canada keeps blocking at every turn.
00:03:17.280They approve a pipeline here and there that they ended up having to buy because they made it impossible for the private sector to actually build it by themselves.
00:03:25.920And then it talks about the mentality of Albertans.
00:03:40.220And that is how Alberta is more closely aligned with Republican states than it is with the rest of Canada.
00:03:46.360Culturally speaking and economically speaking, Alberta isn't like the rest of Canada.
00:03:51.300Alberta is more like Montana, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma.
00:03:56.960In other Alberta independence news, we have super long lines still popping up all over the province in every town.
00:04:04.000Every time there's a petition signing activity, petition signing event, the lines are long and they expand blocks and blocks in every town.
00:04:12.560And again, these are small towns in Alberta in the middle of January.
00:04:39.300People standing out there in the cold, brave in the cold, waiting to sign the independence petition to make Alberta an independent country.
00:07:18.520You guys know that French province in Canada was seeking its independence from the rest of Canada.
00:07:23.300In brief, the Supreme Court had to create a law, create a reference for when a situation like that arises again, say Quebec wanted to separate again or they had another referendum.
00:07:33.880So they created basically a general guideline as to how a province goes about separating legally from the rest of Canada.
00:07:41.160What happens if negotiations between Alberta and Ottawa break down?
00:07:45.260If good faith negotiations between Alberta and Canada are unsuccessful following Alberta's successful referendum on independence,
00:07:52.280Alberta can still appeal to paragraphs 154 and 155 of the Quebec secession reference for guidance.
00:08:02.440Specifically, paragraph 155 says that following unsuccessful negotiations, a province may issue a de facto declaration of independence and pursue international recognition of sovereignty.
00:08:15.020Therefore, if talks between Ottawa and Alberta collapse despite Alberta's democratic mandate, Alberta can maintain its mandate by issuing a de facto declaration of independence dependent on recognition from the international community.
00:08:28.740Once Alberta votes to separate from Canada, negotiations for that independence must begin between Alberta and the rest of Canada, including the federal government.
00:08:38.740If those negotiations fail, which is a misconception, a lot of people have, oh, Canada won't let you leave.
00:08:45.660They're going to stifle and sabotage and block your exit.
00:08:49.080If those negotiations fail within the law, there's already the acknowledgement that Alberta can declare independence de facto.
00:08:58.520We're going to read what the law actually says in regards to that.
00:09:01.420So paragraph 155 of the reference secession of Quebec, 1998, part of the Supreme Court of Canada's discussion on the potential for unilateral secession to lead to a de facto, albeit illegal separation.
00:09:15.660Key points regarding paragraph 155 and its context include illegality of unilateral action.
00:09:22.040The court held that a unilateral act of secession, we have no legal status under Canadian or international law.
00:09:29.160The fact of possibility, and this is the key here, the fact of possibility, despite this lack of legality, the court admitted in paragraph 155 that an unconstitutional declaration of secession could still result in a de facto secession, a functional and practical separation.
00:09:49.020International recognition, international recognition, the ultimate success of such a move would depend on its recognition by the international community.