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Representation
Formula Unfair to Alberta
The current representation formula has two adjustments, which alter the
seats provinces have in the House of Commons. The first clause, the
Senate Clause, ensures that no province has fewer Members of Parliament
than it has Senators. This ensures additional seats for each of the
Maritime Provinces. The second clause is the Grandfather Clause, which
ensures that no province will have fewer Members of Parliament than it
had in the 33rd Parliament. This results in additional seats for
Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland & Labrador and
Nova Scotia.
The net effect of this is that Alberta is underrepresented in the House
of Commons. Both clauses have the effect of holding on to the status
quo. Quebec has 75 MPs in Parliament, while Alberta has 28.Suppose that
things were reversed, and that Alberta suddenly had representation on a
per person basis as Quebec does, and that Quebec suddenly had
representation as Alberta does. Quebec would have 68 MPs and Alberta
would have 31 MPs. Obviously, something is amiss here.
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Representation Doesn't Matter
The Alberta presence in the House of Commons
has
been nearly meaningless. Alberta's voice, for the most
part, has
been muted. Let's revisit the past 12 elections in Canada:
With one exception, Alberta's input into federal elections over the
past 38 years has been meaningless. We have no input into the Canadian
system. We are taxed without representation. We are regulated without
representation. We simply aren't being represented federally, and
federal legislation reflects that.
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Canadian Political System
Encourages Regional Abuses
It is naive to
think that creating the Reform Party, or the watered-down Canadian
Alliance, or the almost entirely watered-down Conservative Party will
make any difference. Look at the results: Albertans have barely made a
difference in any election in the past 38 years. Either Canada rejects
the alternative presented by Alberta, or Canada takes over the
alternative, as has been done in the past. Real reform is impossible,
because it depends on those who have all the political power to give it
up without anything in exchange.
In short, in order for a political party to become capable of winning a
federal majority, it needs to change its policies in order to become
more attractive to Eastern Canada - in other words, less attractive to
Western Canada, specifically Alberta. We have seen this with the
Mulroney government, pandering to Quebec with Meech Lake. And now we
are seeing it with the Conservative Party. Instead of Meech Lake, the
Conservatives are pandering to Quebec with favorable motions conferring
nationhood. In order to transfer wealth from Alberta, income trusts are
being taxed and equalization is becoming ever-harmful to Alberta.
Why do such transformations occur? Simply because Alberta does not have
enough population to attract sufficient interest from political parties
once those parties feel they can gain a majority in the House of
Commons. While other federations like the U.S. or Australia have
effective regional representation, there is none in Canada. Hence,
certain regions can become subject to unfavorable legislation to curry
favor with other regions. Tiny Rhode Island has as many Senators as
California, which helps prevent any abusive legislation that originates
in Congress.
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