Some Western Priorities

Notes from the Hon. David Kilgour, MP for Edmonton Southeast, for a panel on Albertans and the Democratic Deficit

Liberal Party of Canada-Alberta Convention

Delta Inn South, Edmonton, January 17, 2004

Let me begin with a story found in Aretha van Herk's recently published history of Alberta. After Treaty 7 was signed, Chief Crowfoot and his Blackfoot people almost starved to death in the winter of 1878-79 when federal agents provided no food. Somehow, they found the strength to move to the US seeking remnants of the buffalo, returning to the reserve in complete desperation a year or so later. There, van Herk writes, "...they had no choice but to beg for white handouts. The food they were given was substandard, the flour crawling with maggots, and the beef a meat the people found too sweet...worst of all, the employees of the federal Department of Indian Affairs treated the people with contempt."

This early federal disrespect for Aboriginal people has had many echoes down through the decades. The concerns of first peoples must be prominent in any discussion of the West.

Western Discontent

Allow me to repeat some regional public opinion data made public in April 2003 by the Canada West Foundation:

Approximately 71% of Westerners generally said their province's interests were represented poorly at the national level,
Less than a third said they expect federal political reform in their lifetimes.

In southeast Edmonton, for example, a questionnaire conducted at the front door of about 1050 residences this summer indicated in part:

5,170 "disagreed" or "strongly disagreed" with the statement that "Alberta is treated with the respect it deserves in Canada," whereas 40% agreed or agreed strongly with the statement. Ten percent were undecided.
On whether "People in other parts of Canada do not care about Western Canada," 43% of the 1050 respondents agreed or agreed strongly and 37% disagreed or disagreed strongly. 19% had no comment.

It's interesting that on almost the same date that the Canada West study was released a TD Financial Group study indicated in part:

The Edmonton-Calgary corridor is Canada's "Western Tiger," with a per capita GDP now at US $40, 000 - 40% above other metropolitan areas - and out-ranking all OECD nations except Luxembourg.
The authors of the study predicted (I gather) that the corridor could become the most prosperous and best place to live in North America.

Roger Gibbins, President of the Canada West Foundation, said he thought that the TD study highlighted the disparity between the corridor's economic an political power. "In a nutshell," Gibbins said, "that is kind of the history of western alienation."

Current Issues of Concern

BSE

Recently, BSE has retaken centre stage in Alberta. BSE not only jeopardizes this nation economically; it also has the potential to create more rifts between the West and the rest of Canada if appropriate actions are not taken. It has, however, become clear that in the short amount of time since our party has been reshaped, it has already taken significant action to help address this issue. Agriculture Minister Bob Speller and cattle industry representatives have gone to Japan and South Korea, trying to convince the two countries to continue to import Canadian beef. Prime Minister Paul Martin spoke with President George Bush on the matter in Monterrey. He also met with beef industry leaders in Edmonton earlier and with others yesterday in Regina. Such actions can help to revive the economy; they also reach out to a part of the country that often feels as though it is sitting on the fringes. What is more, the commendable handling of the BSE crisis to date has set the tone for an embrace of Western Canadians and all our concerns.

In a conference on the West last spring, Premier Klein raised two proposals that you may find worth discussing today.

1. Institutionalize yearly First Ministers' Conferences. This would certainly prepare us for the more friendly federalism needed in the new century. The good news is that Paul Martin has already moved forward on this issue.

Senate Reform

2. Appointment of senators from provincial government nominees. I'd guess that about three in four Westerners would favour this proposal, provided the persons proposed are first elected.

Roger Gibbins, when listing his key concerns, highlighted the need for a more Western-friendly and representative civil service. He also emphasized the urgency of Senate reform. I recognize that there is often disagreement on exactly how to reform the Senate, but this should not prevent us from improving it incrementally, over time. If we wait for the perfect solution, Senate reform will never occur.

Other issues of interest to the West and indeed all of Canada include border security-which is now part of Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan's responsibility.

Conclusion

It has been a common belief in Alberta that federal governments do not listen, understand, or care about our interests. The West has often viewed the Canadian government negatively, straining the relationship further. This relationship must be repaired now. There is no single solution to this problem, but the new government's commitment to the West represents a tremendous window of opportunity. I am hopeful, as I believe many of you are, that with goodwill and flexibility on both sides much can be done to address the causes of Western alienation. Prime Minister Martin has indicated often that he will not regard his period in office as successful unless Westerners feel ourselves full partners in his government.