It was a year ago that Brexit happened, when Britain exited from the official supra-national government of the European Union..Britain felt it could no long struggle under the burden of an unelected EU government that took billions but did not to return much of value. Since the joining of the EU’s predicessor 47 years ago, the increased cost to British taxpayers rose to about $9 billion a year..Alberta is burdened under a similar yoke. Fairness Alberta estimates that Alberta’s net contribution (loss) is almost $18 billion a year to the rest of Canada. Over 20 years, Alberta sent a net $79,870 for every man, woman, and child to Ottawa that was spent in other provinces. Put another way, a family of four sent $319,480 over that time in taxes to Ottawa as a gift to others..This unsustainable relationship with the federal government needs to be examined in light of the economic collapse. The federal government has plunged the country into record debt that will take generations to repay. The rest of the country will be counting on Alberta to help bail it out of their dire circumstances. Since Trudeau got elected in 2015, Alberta has lost 170,000 full time jobs, with 130,000 wiped out during the provincially-imposed lockdowns. It will take almost a decade to return just to 2015 levels of employment..The demand for more money from Alberta will continue to be relentless. Newfoundland was insolvent before the pandemic hit and last year again got massive federal bailout for its 530,000 people, which is less than half the size of Calgary. It will require billions more to stay afloat. Many of the other provinces across Canada are struggling too..The destruction of Alberta’s economy is catastrophic, but even worse will be the cost of the social impact. Recent warnings across Canada are alarming. Theresa Tam issued a suicide alert on January 29 and the City of Toronto on the same day issued an opioid death alert with 30 deaths a month. It is likely worse in Alberta. The long-term impact of the pandemic will demand careful attention to the problems at home before we can contribute to anyone else..Despite the ongoing crisis in Alberta, Ottawa continues to plunder its taxpayers. There has been no budget for two years, the Auditor General is not allowed access to investigate the spending and some $380 billion was spent above and beyond the $330 billion budget. In return for the wealth Alberta has provided, Ottawa has neglected the interests of the province and refuses to fight to keep prosperity at home. It prefers to cater to Eastern interests and impress fashionable global powerbrokers. .Ottawa’s dismal performance includes refusing to close down borders to non-citizens, and now forcing returning citizens into unconstitutional quarantine at their own expense. Trudeau is failing miserably to secure the vaccination supply and refuses to release details..Trudeau has not focused on what’s important at home, instead pushes billions out the door in a vain-glorious virtual signaling campaign. His finance minister resigned as an MP as soon as the going got tough, and then used taxpayers money to try an fund his next career move as the head of an international organization. Ottawa has been derelict of its duties and pushed the country further to collapse politically, socially and economical, but still wants Alberta to fund their incompetent follies..Alberta needs to take responsibility for its own future..Politicians across the land are talking about a Great Reset, that will “Build Back Better”. Can they expect us to trust them to create a new and better tomorrow after they just destroyed the country we have?.Alberta cannot support a failed federal government anymore, under any party. This means taking responsibility and the first step is letting the people decide on independence..Bill Tufts is a guest columnist for the Western Standard
