Adam Legge: Albertans should fight for a better deal, but separation is not the way

For generations, Alberta has been treated unfairly within Canada, creating immense frustration among many of those who call the province home. I have heard that frustration for decades from business leaders, workers, entrepreneurs and families throughout Alberta, and there are good reasons for it. Alberta contributes enormously to Canada's prosperity yet doesn't receive fair treatment in return. The equalization formula, which primarily benefits Quebec, is heavily skewed against Alberta. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have more Senate seats than Alberta. Major project approvals still take far too long, and federal resource and emissions policies have had an outsized negative economic impact on Alberta. These are not minor grievances, and they confirm why the debate over separation cannot simply be dismissed or treated as a question of loyalty to Canada. After more than 25 years working with businesses across Alberta, and more recently, through my time on the Alberta Next Panel, one thing has become abundantly clear: from Fort McMurray to Lethbridge, and every place in between, very few Albertans question whether the province deserves better treatment, regardless of where they stand on separation. This isn't about whether Alberta needs change; it's about how that change is best achieved. Many believe the only way to fix the imbalance is to leave Canada altogether. Staunch supporters of separation focus on what a sovereign Alberta could gain: more control over its laws, its resources and its future. That's an appealing vision for people who feel powerless watching decisions affecting the province being made somewhere else. There is little debate that Canada benefits from Alberta remaining in the federation. The harder question, and the one many Albertans are asking, is what Alberta gains by staying. As imperfect as Canada may be, the strongest answer is certainty. Giving up this certainty would be the biggest economic and political gamble in Alberta's history. While the promise of greater power and control may be attractive, a vote to separate would not create an independent Alberta overnight. It would begin years, potentially decades, of negotiations with no guaranteed outcome — plus way more questions than answers. Questions about our currency, trade relationships, borders, debt, Indigenous treaties, banking system and access to international markets would all need to be negotiated. Businesses wouldn't know the rules anymore. Investors wouldn't know the market. Individuals wouldn't know if their jobs would still be here. If it were to separate, Alberta would be a start-up nation. There is a scenario in which, if everything went in Alberta's favour, separation might bring about positive economic benefits. But that scenario requires many, many factors to be resolved in Alberta's favour, and most of those outcomes would be completely out of its control. We would be victims to the decisions of other Canadians, other global leaders and other decision makers. Separation means losing control over the majority of factors that will determine whether separation would have positive or negative consequences. That is a very risky and costly gamble. Today, Alberta is attracting billions of dollars in investment across energy, technology, agriculture, petrochemicals and artificial intelligence. That's because companies believe in Alberta's future. They're investing in our workforce, our resources, our competitive business environment and our people. They're also investing in the certainty provided by Canada's established legal system, financial institutions, currency, trade agreements and national market. Alberta's advantages didn't appear overnight. Generations of Albertans helped build the province by creating businesses that sold products across the country, developing industries that financed the country's growth, serving in Canada's Armed Forces and helping establish the international reputation Canadian institutions enjoy today. Leaving Canada wouldn't mean walking away from something Ottawa created. Instead, it would mean walking away from the Canadian foundation that a long line of Albertans have worked hard to create and maintain. For those who think it's either separation or being Canada's oilsands-tarred stepchild forever, it's worth reiterating that rejecting separatism doesn't mean Alberta should accept the status quo. In fact, Albertans should continue demanding faster project approvals, fairer treatment, reformed equalization, better representation and policies that recognize the enormous contribution this province makes to Canada's prosperity. We should expect Ottawa to treat Alberta as a full partner, and it's up to the federal government to demonstrate to Albertans that it understands their frustrations and is willing to address them. Encouragingly, we've already seen progress. The federal and provincial governments have started working together to remove barriers to energy development, streamline approvals and strengthen Canada's economic competitiveness. While this recent progress is still far from mission accomplished, it does demonstrate that meaningful change is possible without separating. On Oct. 19, Albertans will have the opportunity to decide whether to begin the lengthy process of separation. That decision deserves our full attention. Albertans can't afford to sit this vote out. The people of Alberta have spent generations building something remarkable. The question is not whether Alberta deserves better. Obviously, it does. The question is whether the best way to build that better future is to begin a long process of negotiations that have uncertain economic consequences and no guarantee of success, or to continue to be leaders within Canada and achieve more from the country that Albertans helped build. The second path is the stronger one. We should absolutely fight for a stronger Alberta, but we don't need to leave Canada to do it. National Post Adam Legge is president of the Business Council of Alberta.