Western Standard - Derek Fildebrandt： Ottawa needs Alberta’s money more than Alberta needs theirs

00:00:00.000 Well, as we all know, if there was a clear question, with a clear majority voting for it,

00:00:06.360 the Clarity Act process at least leads us into negotiation, and that would be,

00:00:11.140 you know, we should be under no illusions. That's not easy, that's not fast, and it's messy,

00:00:16.620 but these would be negotiated. Alberta should have a pension plan for an independent country

00:00:22.080 or not, for God's sakes. We should have done this at least 20 years ago.

00:00:25.360 The assets and liabilities between pensions and debts,

00:00:32.660 I mean, let the Canadian forces keep, you know, broken down tanks and planes.

00:00:37.180 Most of the CF-18s were built before even I was born.

00:00:39.900 So, you know, there's some assets they can keep.

00:00:42.080 These get negotiated.

00:00:43.260 Debt, we'll take our fair share based on per capita.

00:00:46.200 I think that's actually probably one of the easier ones to negotiate.

00:00:50.040 The bigger question is if under, you know, we have a successful referendum and Ottawa does not negotiate in good faith.

00:00:58.040 And that is where we would come to more troubled waters about how we would divide this.

00:01:03.040 But I do believe Alberta would have immense leverage in these debates.

00:01:07.040 Because Ottawa needs our money a hell of a lot more than we need theirs.

Western Standard - October 19, 2026