00:00:22.100Well, they are an angry people, and they have every reason to be angry.
00:00:25.980From the time the provinces were founded, when Alberta and Saskatchewan were not given the natural resources powers that other provinces had,
00:00:33.860Albertans have been put upon by a central Canadian elite that looks at them as something of a colony.
00:00:40.220And you can say, well, there's very little chance that the referendum has.
00:00:43.200People thought that about the Brexit referendum too.
00:00:46.580And look what that led to for the future of the United Kingdom.
00:00:49.800And then you have the growing independence movement in Saskatchewan where the people are also sick and tired of what Canada has become after 11 years of liberal governments.
00:01:00.840Some in Saskatchewan are speaking out over their desire for separatism with one organization already leading town halls across the province.
00:01:07.700The Saskatchewan Prosperity Project is heading the initiative to talk Saskatchewan independence.
00:01:13.560A lot of people in Saskatchewan never ask themselves the honest question, what would it look like if we were our own country? I know I hadn't.
00:01:18.980Williams says the group has delivered more than 40 presentations and is working in coordination with a similar pro-independence organization in Alberta.
00:01:27.860And we hope someday we could join them and actually be one country united because I think Alberta and Saskatchewan would be a powerhouse.
00:01:34.420Although support is seemingly growing in Saskatchewan alongside Alberta's movement, there may be some barriers along the way.
00:01:40.040While some First Nations leaders have previously spoken out about the idea of Alberta's separation,
00:01:45.400the Prosperity Project says it's been in communication with some Indigenous leaders in Saskatchewan.
00:01:50.120We have been reaching out. We do want to talk to the First Nations. We want them involved.
00:01:53.820The future of the separatist movement in Saskatchewan remains unclear,
00:01:57.280as interest in provincial autonomy continues to be debated in Western Canada.
00:02:02.060The Prime Minister of Canada has a huge Alberta problem right now.
00:02:05.820you can see it on his face because alberta separation is not slowing down it's getting
00:02:11.940bigger and i think ottawa's starting to realize they may have made a massive mistake because
00:02:18.420after a judge stepped in and tried to shut down the independence petition albertans didn't back
00:02:23.900down they got angrier more determined they try to stop this movement and somehow it only made
00:02:30.980stronger. That's the part these people don't understand. Every media attack, every threat,
00:02:37.520every court decision just convinces more Albertans that something is seriously broken in this
00:02:43.720country. And now Mark Carney is being forced to answer questions about Alberta separation
00:02:48.880everywhere he goes. Morning news, press conferences, political panels. This is becoming a national
00:02:56.740issue now and he hates it last june the alberta prosperity project published a document outlining
00:03:03.400a fiscal plan for an independent alberta it suggests with more alberta control and no federal
00:03:09.140taxes or equalization we could see a 45 billion dollar surplus the plan expects oil and gas
00:03:15.380production would increase direct revenue would jump by as much as 132 percent by 2045 gst would
00:03:23.260disappear, but a 5% sales tax would be created, as would new land taxes. Personal income tax
00:03:29.400could be eliminated. I think it's very realistic. I don't think that there's any question that it
00:03:35.460can be. There's nations that, you know, basically have like Saudi Arabia, for example. Why are
00:03:41.000Albertans upset? This is the Texas of Canada. Equalization payments. This is where they take
00:03:46.820tax dollars and they give them to the provinces who are more liberal and the provinces that do
00:03:54.060better are the ones that have to take their excess dollars and get given to everybody else
00:03:58.840will you please look at the canadian provinces and the bar chart that says a b you see that pat
00:04:05.260that's alberta look how high it sticks up alberta makes tax dollars look who gets the tax dollars
00:04:14.140nova scotia new brunswick quebec on manitoba look at that this is why the people of alberta are
00:04:22.640upset they're the equalization payments are going to the other provinces in other words the ones
00:04:27.800they can't carry their own weight with liberal policies and look at that it sticks up it's just
00:04:33.520shocking you find that shocking jeff it's crazy i mean why do you think they want to secede so look
00:04:50.900More people are getting involved, and the momentum is clearly building.
00:04:54.160Canada has been our home for all of our lives, and we have loved it dearly, and we still do.
00:04:59.620We just don't see another choice, another option for the future of our children.
00:05:04.360Their frustration with what they call dangerous federal policies and financial inequality has been building for years.
00:05:12.840For them, the movement offers a reset and renewed hope.
00:05:17.300Even if it doesn't work out, it's not a waste of time.
00:05:21.060We are sending a clear message to Ottawa.
00:05:23.320According to an Angus Reid poll from last week, 35% of respondents said they would vote for the province to hold a binding referendum on separation.
00:05:33.02060% said they want to remain part of Canada.
00:05:37.080And a U of A study conducted prior to the latest referendum announcement
00:05:41.240indicated 20% of Albertans support separation.
00:05:46.120Independence leaders say they want to stop federal equalization payments,
00:05:51.220reduce income taxes, and give Alberta full control over natural resources.