HALIFAX—In a marriage where one spouse consistently brings up divorce, the time has probably come for a decision. To be or not to be.

And so it is with countries like this one. Quebec and Alberta have factions that keep saying they want to leave Canada. Quebec nationalists believe that they are distinctive enough to warrant their own country. Go-it-aloners in Alberta think Ottawa is giving them a raw deal, and that they could do better on their own. It’s a democracy, so people are entitled to their opinions and beliefs.  

But there is another side to separatism that is rarely mentioned. Every time the prospect of a diminished Canada is raised, it hurts the country—and the vast majority of citizens who abhor the prospect of separation.

That’s why I think it’s time for those factions to bring some intellectual honesty to their avowed separatism. There are lots of ways to do that, but the simplest and most effective way is that both parties to this never-ending debate resolve this situation one way or the other.

Why is such a resolution needed? Because those who do business here require the same assurance that Canada is a solid, sovereign, unified, and reliable trading partner. The same goes for prospective investors. No one wants to put their money in a place that may not continue to exist.

And there is another reason Canadian unity is paramount. If the country descends into grievance and dissonance, it will encourage territorial predators who see this country as a rich prize. United States President Donald Trump has already cast acquisitive eyes on Canada—a resource-blessed and strategically invaluable place that he believes will one day become America’s 51st state.  

Every Canadian should be concerned that officials from the Alberta government have already travelled to Washington, D.C., for talks with their American counterparts. Both sides have said that nothing nefarious was on the agenda, and that may be true. But no one really knows what was actually discussed at those meetings.

One politician who knows the separatist issue must be put to rest is Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, whose United Conservative Party and government are full of separatists. The premier recently delivered a message to them in the wake of the Oct. 19 Alberta referendum, which saw the vast majority of Albertans—approximately 75 per cent—expressing their support to remain in Canada. Smith invited the separatists in the political party to either accept the results of the referendum, or leave it and set up their own party.  

The vote in Alberta provides a model of what could be done to resolve separatism in this country: a national referendum where all Canadians could vote on the relative merits of separation versus national unity. The results of that vote should be binding.

Such a binding vote will never, of course, take place. The groups who favour separation would never agree for one very good reason. They would not only lose such a vote, but their separatist option would be crushed. And, in an important way, that would mean that separatism itself would be delegitimized.

So where does that leave us? In a marriage whose nagging problems can only be handled by the astute stewardship of our political leaders. Separatism will never be defeated in one big battle. It can only be contained in a series of smaller skirmishes that depend on the wisdom of the federal government.

In the past, Ottawa has not always been up to the task. Parts of Western Canada did not feel comfortable with Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and later, Justin Trudeau, at the helm. Fairly or unfairly, their leadership was seen as skewed toward Quebec and Ontario. There was a sense that the Trudeaus didn’t understand the West or even really tried to. In one form or another, that distrust exists to this day.  


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Enter Mark Carney. This prime minister clearly understands that Canada’s future depends on making all parts of the country feel valued and appreciated. He also knows that demonstrating that this country works is a never-ending task for every Canadian prime minister.  

Consider his recent moves in Alberta. Carney and Smith met recently in Calgary to announce a pipeline deal that will deliver one million barrels of oil per day for export to Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Commentators have noted that this represents a “major shift” in Liberal energy policy in line with Alberta’s decision to increase oil production and export.

This wasn’t his only move. Carney is also not ruling out giving Alberta additional authority on immigration matters. Up until now, the only province that’s been granted such authority is Quebec. In 1991, Ottawa signed an agreement with Quebec that allowed the province to set its own immigration levels. That will doubtless sit well with the one million Albertans who expressed the desire for more control over immigration in a recent referendum question.  

All this doesn’t mean that separatism in Alberta has been handled any more than it has been in Quebec. The issue is an emotional one in both provinces, and can reignite at any time. That said, the prime minister’s bold initiatives will definitely make it harder for pro-separatist advocates to make the case that Canada isn’t working. As Carney himself put it, he is for “a Canada where our differences are strengths to be nurtured and respected, not risks to be managed.”

If that isn’t a marriage worth staying in, what is?

Michael Harris is an award-winning author and journalist.

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