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WEXIT

Experts throw cold water on ‘Wexit” efforts

Nov 3, 2019 | 10:08 AM

Edmonton, AB – Experts say it’s a pipe dream to think oil-producing western provinces would have an easier time getting product to international markets if they were to split from Canada.

“Wexit” was trending on social media after the Liberals secured a minority government in last month’s federal election, but were shut out of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Wexit’s founder has said an independent country could leverage the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to gain coastal pipeline access.

The convention, adopted in 1982, says landlocked countries shall enjoy freedom of transit through other states.

But Silvia Maciunas with the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario, says that right comes with caveats.

She says there would still need to be negotiations with Canada.

The International Court of Justice in the Hague ruled last year that Chile has no obligation to even negotiate with Bolivia about allowing access to the Pacific Coast.

Carlo Dade of the Canada West Foundation says even if Bolivia had won, there would be no way to enforce the court’s decision.