There appears to be much fear about independence. Naturally, the fear mongers amongst us do their best to foster this with loud lamentations that Canada will punish us, poverty will be rampant, our homes will be worthless and our institutions will collapse immediately among other nasty things like locust infestations and so on, draw your own vision of what would happen.

In other words, Armageddon!

Really?

Let’s look at facts, shall we? In previous posts we’ve discussed the mechanics of independence with a clear majority in accordance with the Clarity Act and other pertinent legislation. We’ve also looked at time scale, how long would it take? Relax, it most definitely not be immediate. But I think the real underlying question that perhaps has gone unasked is…

Could Western Canada be a real country?

For the answer we need to go back in time and then look around the world. There have been many successful and unsuccessful attempts to secede from the parent country all around the world and many are still ongoing and unresolved. So, what is a state?

The Montevideo Convention of 1933 declared that a region needs at minimum 4 things to be considered a state.

1. A permanent population.
2. A defined territory
3. A government
4. The capacity to enter into relations with other states.

But. It also needs.

1. A clear majority.
2. Respect for minorities.
3. A viable, stable state.
4. Agreed terms of separation.

In practice, these are hard to achieve.

So this, along with the Clarity Act, drives home the point that it is a long, drawn out and complex process. The most recent polls on the subject show that Alberta leads the way with support for independence sitting at about 30%, far from a clear majority. The other points are moot without a clear majority. You can see, dear reader, that much more work needs to be done and the most valuable asset is doggedness. The will to never give up and think long-term will be the game changer.

In the meantime, here are some recommendations from the Polite Separatist.

#1. Consolidate all existing group on social media into one for each province. Each province ticks in its own way. Potash is not a concern in BC. An environmentalist in the BC’s Lower Mainland gets incredibly riled that Alberta wants access to get oil to China. A farmer in Manitoba could not care less that BC salmon farms are a point of contention in Victoria.  One, I repeat, ONE organization in each province. But where does that leave all the people running multiple groups?

#2. Use people for specific tasks. A leader of a group or multiple groups simply cannot do all the tasks required of such a large and complex movement by themselves.  If, for example, the Prairie Freedom Party is the sole Saskatchewan independence movement, then the leaders and followers of other now defunct groups can be put to specific tasks such as fundraising, administration,  membership, media and public affairs to name a few. Also, by narrowing the field and divesting responsibilities, the leader is free to LEAD.

#3. Be prepared. The Boy Scouts have it right. Do not worry about what happens in Ottawa or the provincial capital; business will go on without interruption there. Do not make the same mistake as the Bloc Québécois. When people realized their only existence was to scare politicians and nothing else, they were killed in the polls and are even now still trying to find a reason to exist. Build up the home base and be prepared for interference from outside and when it comes (and it will come) use it as a tool to further our aims.

And #4. Don’t lose sight of the aim and understand, in your heart of hearts, that this is a long road fraught with obstacles and danger. But only the reader can answer if the end is worth the trip.

It really is up to you, dear reader. Do what needs to be done or spend your time complaining from an armchair.

Decide.