By Sheldon Spackman

Separatist group

Alberta separatist movement holding more meetings in Red Deer

Oct 5, 2019 | 9:34 AM

Red Deer, AB – With the federal election looming on October 21, a movement to build support for Alberta’s separation from Canada is making its second stop in Red Deer this month.

Wexit Alberta, described as a voluntary association of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Albertans with a shared connection to economic liberty, social stability and Alberta sovereignty, is hosting a pair of meetings in Red Deer Oct. 19.

Founder Peter Downing, a former RCMP officer and Canadian Armed Forces soldier, says the provincial organization has now also launched Wexit Canada, which he describes as sort of a “Bloc Québécois for the west.”

“It’s to flip the electoral dynamics,” he explains. “Instead of it being Ontario having 121 votes, Quebec 78, Alberta 34, we flip that now to Ontario 121, Western Canada 104 and Quebec 78. So both movements work hand-in-hand, but a referendum on separation is only within the provincial sphere.”

Since launching Wexit Alberta in June, Downing says support for Alberta separation has been huge.

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“Everybody is saying that if Justin Trudeau gets re-elected on October 21 they’re going to become a separatist on October 22,” he suggested.

He says a minority government for the Liberals would be the worst-case scenario for Alberta.

“We’re not even saying this, this is what everybody else is saying. It’s worth the short-term pain of having the worst possible government to have the long-term gain of basically being the driving force that causes Albertans just to say ‘enough is enough, it’s time to separate.’”

Downing feels the main issues in the upcoming federal election are the economy versus environmentalism.

“Environmentalism is just a code word for eastern Canadian corporate interests. Canada was founded as a political compromise between Ontario and Quebec to enshrine the economic and political privileges of Ontario and the language, cultural and religious privileges of Quebec.”

He describes the current state of environmentalism and greenhouse gas carbon emissions as climate hysteria.

“Albertans, we care about the environment,” says Downing. “We’re hunters, we’re fishers, we’re outdoorsmen, it has nothing to do with centralized doom and gloom theories put by economic and cultural elites. This is a complete farce, it’s meant to take Alberta’s resources to deindustrialize us, to make us uncompetitive and we are the only ones calling it what it is.”

Wexit Alberta has two meetings slated for Oct. 19 at Titans Rugby Park in Red Deer County from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and again from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Downing says the morning session will focus on public safety in a town hall-type event.

“Rural crime is a big issue in Alberta and that’s the top of a lot of people’s minds,” he notes. “And it’s not just about leaving Canadian Confederation for the sake of making the same mistakes. They want to have a safer place to live, they want to be more socially stable, so dealing with actual real solutions to crime and criminality, especially in the rural areas.”

Downing says an industrial advisory group will highlight the afternoon session.

“We have over a thousand people who have connected with us on our LinkedIn page and these are industry executives from businesses across all industries. We’re going to have a roundtable discussion and listen to all the concerns of different industries.”

Downing says Wexit Alberta’s objective is to bring smaller separatist organizations in the province together under a unified, credible, separatist electoral option in upcoming elections and by-elections.

Downing concludes Alberta’s fate is best left in its own hands.

“Albertans are giving the Conservatives the very last chance to show that they can do something for Alberta. But if Justin Trudeau wins, our movement is going to explode, separatism is going to go through the roof and we’re going to run candidates in subsequent elections and by-elections, both provincially and federally.”