Comments on: Alberta conservative epoch ends https://habitablezone.com/2015/05/06/alberta-conservative-epoch-ends/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:41:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2015/05/06/alberta-conservative-epoch-ends/#comment-32501 ER Thu, 07 May 2015 14:45:50 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=49541#comment-32501 Well, I can certainly understand how wealthy commercial interests, especially those involved in the extractive industries, are ready to abandon the long-term benefit of their country for personal, short-term financial gain. We have the same problem here in the USA. Well, I can certainly understand how wealthy commercial interests, especially those involved in the extractive industries, are ready to abandon the long-term benefit of their country for personal, short-term financial gain. We have the same problem here in the USA.

]]> By: mcfly https://habitablezone.com/2015/05/06/alberta-conservative-epoch-ends/#comment-32500 mcfly Thu, 07 May 2015 14:34:49 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=49541#comment-32500 You're essentially correct. A couple of decades ago, Quebec came within a stone's throw of voting to leave Cabada. For a long time, being a separatist in Quebec was good business. They've even held the reigns of provincial government. But for quite a while now, it seems, the heat's been cranked down to simmer in French Canada. Western separatism was something if a different beast. While the separatists in Quebec were largely motivated by cultural issues, and their ranks came from across the economic spectrum, Western separatists were "in it for the money" and were comprised mostly of wealthy oil men and ranchers. It never had a truly substantial popular base. There was some growling but little willingness to actually bite. In the end, most westerners really do identify with Canada. Many Quebecois, even as part of Canada, see themselves as a separate entity...and really, it's a hard point to argue against. They speak a different language and guide themselves with somewhat different laws. In some ways, psychologically and spiritually, they've never really joined Canada. You’re essentially correct. A couple of decades ago, Quebec came within a stone’s throw of voting to leave Cabada. For a long time, being a separatist in Quebec was good business. They’ve even held the reigns of provincial government. But for quite a while now, it seems, the heat’s been cranked down to simmer in French Canada.

Western separatism was something if a different beast. While the separatists in Quebec were largely motivated by cultural issues, and their ranks came from across the economic spectrum, Western separatists were “in it for the money” and were comprised mostly of wealthy oil men and ranchers. It never had a truly substantial popular base. There was some growling but little willingness to actually bite.

In the end, most westerners really do identify with Canada. Many Quebecois, even as part of Canada, see themselves as a separate entity…and really, it’s a hard point to argue against. They speak a different language and guide themselves with somewhat different laws. In some ways, psychologically and spiritually, they’ve never really joined Canada.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2015/05/06/alberta-conservative-epoch-ends/#comment-32499 ER Thu, 07 May 2015 02:37:37 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=49541#comment-32499 I got the impression from my Canadian friends (this was many years ago)that there were strong centrifugal forces at work in that country, and that under stress, Canada might fracture into component parts. According to them, French-speaking Quebec has always had a separatist bent, and the plains and Mountain provinces felt they had more in common with cowboy USA than with the city slickers in Toronto and Ottawa. Only Ontario, BC and the Maritimes identified with an English Canada. Is there any truth to this over-simplification, or is my anecdata out of date? I got the impression from my Canadian friends (this was many years ago)that there were strong centrifugal forces at work in that country, and that under stress, Canada might fracture into component parts.

According to them, French-speaking Quebec has always had a separatist bent, and the plains and Mountain provinces felt they had more in common with cowboy USA than with the city slickers in Toronto and Ottawa. Only Ontario, BC and the Maritimes identified with an English Canada.

Is there any truth to this over-simplification, or is my anecdata out of date?

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