WAGNER: “Politics is about people” – the leadership quandary and Alberta independence

Immediately after the infamous National Energy Program (NEP) was announced in October 1980, a huge wave of support for Alberta independence appeared, with large meetings being held across the province. This movement lacked one thing — a credible leader.As Maclean’s magazine reported at the time, “The federalists’ worst fear is that a charismatic separatist leader will emerge among the baseball caps and bumper stickers.” Indeed, one MP is quoted as saying, “When we get a first-rate credible leader there will be an incredible explosion of separatism. Look out if they find a credible leader.”To make a long story short, that leader did not emerge, and the movement fizzled. However, a few years later, a credible western leader did appear under the motto, “the West wants in!” and the Reform Party was born. It was Preston Manning’s leadership that made the difference.This issue again came to the fore in a recent episode of the Schmidt House Podcast. A panel was assembled to discuss the issue of western separation. At one point the panelists were asked, “Do you think that there is a single issue that is strong enough to convince people that separation is worth it? Is there a single thing that people could unite behind that would actually progress this a lot further?”David Parker of Take Back Alberta said there was no issue or policy that could unite westerners on separation. As he explained, “This is the problem that a lot of people have — they think politics is about policy. Politics is about people. Anybody who forgets that doesn’t have any chance in politics.”He went on to say, “We’re never going to find something to unite around because that’s not what humans unite around; people unite around someone.”“All you have to do is look at religions or look at political parties or movements. The human existence is not lived in the mind it is lived in the heart and the heart loves leaders, heroes, communities.”For a western independence movement to be successful, he said, it will need to “be led by someone who decides to do the work. It will never be an idea that unites people. It will be someone that embodies an idea.”Parker mentioned the Reform Party example as well: “Preston Manning was very good at getting people, and that’s why he was able to start a movement. I always tell my people, if you don’t have followers, you’re not a leader.”From this perspective, the independence movement continues to suffer from the same obstacle noted almost 45 years ago — lack of a credible leader.Alberta history clearly shows the necessity of quality leadership to the success of a political movement. William “Bible Bill” Aberhart created the Social Credit Party of Alberta and led it to a landslide victory in its first election. Peter Lougheed took a moribund Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta from no seats to a majority government in six years. When conventional wisdom wrote that party off in the early 1990s, Ralph Klein delivered his “miracle on the Prairies” in the 1993 election, revitalizing the party for over twenty more years.In each instance, these political successes are unthinkable without the particular leaders who made them happen.This same phenomenon is currently visible in the United States. Donald Trump “embodies” — to use Parker’s term — a populist revolt against America’s leftist elites. It’s not just the idea, it’s the person.Florida governor Ron DeSantis has an impressive policy track record, but he was no match for Trump in the Republican primaries. Trump “embodies” the populist movement like nobody else.When the Alberta independence movement finds a leader that embodies its ideals, the movement will take a giant step forward. As that MP said in late 1980, “Look out if they find a credible leader.”With that in mind, we may be just one person away from a powerful Alberta independence movement.

WAGNER: “Politics is about people” – the leadership quandary and Alberta independence

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