10/22/2019 28 Comments On The Cusp of BuffaloOn March 11, 1905. Frederick Haultain, the Territorial Premier of the Northwest Territories, (what is now the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan), sent an open letter to Sir Wilfred Laurier objecting in the strongest possible terms the introduction in federal parliament of the Alberta and Saskatchewan bills, created to carve the Northwest territories in two, creating two weaker, inferior provinces out of the one territory. Haultain, a well-respected leader out west, had long championed the idea of Buffalo, a super province to balance the power of the east with the emergence of the west. To quote Haultain, among the many objections raised by the territorial government, he stated the following;
“I therefore wish to express my most emphatic objection to the legislation in regard to this subject. I recognize no power in parliament to make laws for the new provinces in contravention of the letter and spirit of the British North America Act. Further, I recognize neither right nor justice in the attempt to dictate to the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan the manner in which they will conduct their own business.” Here is a link to the complete letter Haultain sent to Laurier, sadly a letter that went unanswered and ignored; https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-7105-e.html. Haultain’s point was the Territory was already working fine since its original admission to the union on July 15, 1870 and the British North America Act of the time did not even have the legislative power to retroactively create two provinces, particularly against the will of the people who inhabited the territories. It was obvious to all who could read and think that Laurier arbitrarily drew a straight line down the 4th meridian, smack through the middle of Lloydminster out of fear and a desire for eastern Canada to retain dominion power over the west. For those who believe the creation of Alberta and Saskatchewan was met with anything but scorn by the citizens affected, one only has to turn to the front page of the Saskatoon Phoenix, dated August 25, 1905 for a taste of the sentiment of the day; https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-7106-e.html Hardly a ringing endorsement for the creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta as quoted below; "God Bless our New Provinces" has been decided upon as one of the chief mottoes to be used at the celebration of the introduction of one-legged autonomy to Alberta and Saskatchewan. What could be more appropriate? It sounds like the motto above the door of the orphan's home. Alberta and Saskatchewan, robbed of their birthright, brought into the world of this great Confederation, crippled, shackled, stamped with inferiority and doomed to eternal discord and strife, adopt the motto only too frequently associated with domestic infelicity, and hang on their cities' walls: "God Bless our New Provinces!" The new Provinces can be blessed only by their citizens regaining the liberty of men, of which they have been deprived, not by Providence, but by faithless politicians. Mottoes and icons will not restore those rights of manhood, but a man's earnest fight for a man's sacred liberty can -- and, if prosecuted, will. So, the good men and women of 1905 era knew even back then, we will never really be a free people until we exert our will and control over our own destinies. We have endured the barbs and slings of eastern Canadian domination for the past 114 years; ignored, slandered and abused. Schemes like the grossly unfair equalization program and the hated carbon tax are a sad testament to the tone-deaf approach to governance we have suffered at the hands of eastern elitists who have had over 100 years to develop an approach to Canadian confederation worthy of support. They have failed miserably, and we have failed miserably, but this failure is only a permanent stain on our collective souls if we chose to do nothing about it. There is no evidence of a collective will to change our approach to improve the current state of affairs. If it is our desire to continue to exist in the shackles of eastern Canadian domination then we simply have to do nothing, for then, nothing will change. Rather, if we have come to a point in time where we can finally stand with one voice and say “Enough!”, then there is much we can do. Let’s begin with the following; A. Saskatchewan and Alberta indicate to the federal government the desire to immediately enter into negotiations to take over responsibility for the collection of all taxes, both provincial and federal. This is the same deal Quebec has long had and is the first step to taking both responsibility and accountability for our own affairs. This way we begin to more closely control the level of taxes that are submitted to the federal treasury from our two provinces. It will indicate the seriousness of our will and encourage proper negotiation on the theory and practice of equalization. This will be followed by negotiation on health care, policing, control over infrastructure development, indigenous affairs, immigration and public pensions. It is of critical importance we prepare ourselves well in advance of exploring the larger questions of our future path. B. Saskatchewan and Alberta form an expert council to immediately develop terms of reference to enter into joint discussions on a suitable path forward as equals. No options will go unexplored and will include but not be limited to; 1. The merger of the two provinces as equals as was the original intent in the formation of Buffalo. 2. Exploration of admission into the United States of America as the 51st State. 3. The formation of a new sovereign nation, independent of either Canada or the USA. 4. The exploration of a joining together with British Columbia, Manitoba and the 3 Canadian Territories to form an independent nation. 5. A new deal presented to the rest of Canada that allows the confederation of Canada to remain intact geographically while enhancing our own power and control over our own affairs to our own satisfaction. This would imply significant changes to equalization, resource extraction and mobility and a much greater share in control over the judiciary and policy of Canada. The public within Alberta and Saskatchewan will be invited to provide input and we will conduct ourselves in a collegial and collaborative manner that will assist us in mapping out our own future. To quote our forefathers from the front page of the Saskatoon Phoenix in August 1905, we can only be considered Blessed when we regain the liberty we lost at the hands of faithless politicians who in 1905 did not have and through to today do not have our interests at heart. The path will not be easy nor straight nor simple nor fast. It will require hard work and sacrifice on our part, there will be times when we will want to give up and give in and go back to being treated poorly at the hands of others, as we are today. Nation building has never been easy and throughout all human history the worth of the effort has *been justified by the energy it takes to advance. I believe each one of us is worth the effort. We owe it to those who came before us and especially to those who will come after us to make the try. I for one am willing to make the effort, are you? May 2019 be the year we begin to chart our new path, one of hope and a belief in a better way, one where we challenge the status quo for both the rights and responsibilities that all free women and men the world over have aspired to for all time. May we desire above all the right and responsibility to our own path. God Bless Us All.
28 Comments
Anne MacGillivray
11/12/2019 06:35:39 am
Very powerful, Mike. Thank you.
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Mitch
4/6/2021 05:01:17 pm
Exceptional Article. Would you happen to have a copy of the original letter? The link is broken and I am having trouble locating it in the archives
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I grew up as part of a big family on a big mixed farm on the Prairies of Canada. All my opinions are my own. I have an Ag degree from Saskatoon and an MBA from New Brunswick. I am happily married with four children. I love my work, my family and my community and will guard them all ferociously. I try to bring critical thought to all I do and all I say. Leadership through example is the best way forward. |