Alberta independence group releases its ‘transition plan’ to become a country
Federalist says plan like showing up for dinner after divorce
An independence group has released a “transition plan,” sketching out what it sees as a roadmap should Albertans vote in the future to become a sovereign nation.
asserted
Albertans → release → future
The Alberta Transition Council released the 214-page report on Thursday, laying out a series of proposals tied to how life in Alberta might look in the event of a future “yes” vote on independence.
uncertain
life → release → independence
The report also touches on a range of regulations and institutions the group identifies that would need to transition to Alberta’s control through negotiation, including with Ottawa.
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that → touch → Ottawa
Those proposals vary in scope, from the continuity of social programs to air traffic control to the implementation of a new constitution and the relationship with First Nations.
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proposals → vary → Nations
Lawyer Keith Wilson, who leads the Alberta Transition Council and is also a leader with the independence group Let Alberta Decide, says the aim is to outline how Alberta’s exit from Canada could run smoothly.
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exit → lead → Canada
“What we need to remember is we’re not starting from scratch, right?
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we → need → scratch
Those people who work at the airports, we’re not going to blow up the airport.
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we → work → airport
It’s still there,” Wilson said.
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Wilson → ’ → ?
“All we’re doing is changing the payroll.”
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we → do → payroll
But one critic argued any transition planning is far off and the plan is “unrealistic” about what are certain to be complex negotiations.
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what → argue → ?
“Many of those issues would take many, many years, potentially, to be fully discussed and possibly never come to a conclusion
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Many → take → conclusion
,” said Errol Mendes, a professor of constitutional and international law at the University of Ottawa.
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Mendes → say → Ottawa
Not all in Alberta's control, report says
Albertans go to the polls on Oct. 19 to vote on whether Alberta should stay with Canada, or hold a second, binding referendum to separate.
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Alberta → say → referendum
Polling suggests a minority of Albertans presently support the idea of secession.
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minority → suggest → secession
The guiding idea, according to the group, is to not approach the transition as the creation of a country “from scratch.”
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idea → guide → scratch
“Alberta independence would not eliminate Alberta’s relationship with the rest of Canada,” the report reads.
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report → eliminate → Canada
“It would change the legal and governmental framework within which that relationship operates.”
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relationship → change → which
At the same time, the report acknowledges not all of this is in Alberta’s control.
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all → acknowledge → control
Debt, mobility, energy infrastructure, pensions, borders, and assets are among the areas where negotiation would be needed with Canada, First Nations and others.
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negotiation → need → Canada
Outcomes cannot be known or guaranteed, the report states.
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report → know → ?
The document claims 45 Albertans in fields including banking and currency, law, international trade, First Nations and policing contributed to the preparation and review of the package.
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Albertans → claim → package
However, the identities of those individuals were not made public.
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identities → make → individuals
Wilson said confidentiality was put in place to ensure contributors don’t face “cancel culture" or harassment.
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contributors → say → culture
“The report will speak for itself.
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report → speak → itself
And Canadians, and many people in the world, are growing leery of the ‘experts say’ stuff anyway,” Wilson told CBC News.
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Wilson → grow → News
“People will be able to evaluate it.
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People → evaluate → it
“Each one of us have our own level of life experience that we’ll be able to hone in on — something we’re very familiar with — and say, ‘Hey, do the base facts seem accurate?
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facts → have → that
Does this analysis make sense?’”
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analysis → make → sense
The document is one of several released recently that explore the various ways Alberta separating from Canada could impact people’s daily lives.
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separating → release → lives
Alberta separation too costly with too many uncertainties, warns Calgary think-tank
A president, open-carry gun laws, elected judges: Group floats vision for an independent Alberta
From currency to mortgages to military
In the introductory section of the paper, a series of questions is posed.
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series → warn → questions
“How will laws continue?
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laws → continue → ?
How will courts operate?
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courts → operate → ?
How will salaries and pensions continue to be paid?
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salaries → continue → ?
How will money continue to move through banks?
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money → continue → banks
How will airplanes continue to fly?”
The group offers some ideas.
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group → continue → ideas
On day one of independence, the group suggests using the Canadian dollar “because it minimizes contract, pricing and consumer disruption.”
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it → suggest → disruption
“Other possibilities — including use of the U.S. dollar, dual-currency arrangements or a future Alberta currency — remain longer-term or contingency choices,” the report reads.
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report → include → dollar
In many cases, a full resolution isn’t offered yet.
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resolution → offer → cases
On pensions, the group proposes to keep pension payments going for now, leaving the negotiations over future plans for pensions and asset transfers for later.
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group → propose → pensions
What would happen to mortgages in the event of a separation vote has been a big question in the run-up to the referendum.
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happen → happen → referendum
…and 30 more, not listed.
