The Western Separatist Papers has been
published (usually) monthly by W.S.P. Ltd. since 1983. Address all
correspondence to WSP,
Box 101, 255 Menzies Street, Victoria, B.C. Western Canada V8V 2G6. A
one-year subscription is $15.00. Members of the Western Canada Concept receive
the WSP with their membership.
Send e-mail to kzubko@shaw.ca. Visit the WCC on the web at: www.westcan.org
Phone us at: 250-727-3438
or fax us at: 250-479-3294
March 29th Petition Made Its Point!
Petition for Referendum now Online & Gathering Support -- Get your friends to sign online!
Plans for Summer Campaign Underway -- We need your help!
New Members, New Support, New Petition Signatories Every Day!
To the Editor:
I attended the meeting at the North Hill Inn on March 29th. It started at 10 am. I introduced “Mr. Independence” Doug Christie to over 120 and 3 television reporters.
I had the opportunity to see true democracy in action! I have been to hundreds of meetings and never have I seen the people come together like that!
We met within two blocks of the Capri Centre, organized our parade complete with a wagon load of marching music -- the first parade I've ever marched in. We were holding up flags and banners, about 100 or more strong as we marched toward the Capri Centre, people were joining in, in support of our parade.
The television news camera reporters came running toward our parade. We went into the hotel to see the Alberta Premier Ralph Klein at the Tory convention. Unfortunately we could not get to see him and deliver the signed petitions. We were told he didn't have time to see us, so we told them we would get 100,000 names on our petition for a referendum on independence for Alberta before year end.
I look forward to our summer tour starting in June across Alberta in motor homes and trailers, visiting towns and cities. We will be flying Alberta flags and having lots of fun meeting new Albertans and gathering names for our petition. I urge as many people that can, to join us in the tour, to come and travel with us, along with any politicians that support the right of referendum! Once again, thank you Doug Christie.
Interested independence travellers can call me for more information and check the web site www.westcan.org for further updates. Phone me at (780) 842-2927 if you want to join us!
Your friends for Independence
Robert and Gladys Kratchmer
Wainwright, Alberta
To the Editor:
Reading Norman Dalley's well-argued case for Newfoundland leaving Canada, prompted me as a multi-generational Nova Scotian to put the case for that province. My forefathers on my mother's side (Hunters) were United Empire Loyalists who fled to Canada after 1776 whilst my father's side emigrated in 1815 to set up shipbuilding at a time when Nova Scotia was fast becoming the Hong Kong of crown colonies in its day.
By 1840, Nova Scotia had one of the biggest merchant fleets in the world and a booming economy. A visit there to any one of dozens of old towns will show the beautiful jumbo homes, churches, schools and colleges all founded on free enterprise and hard-working Christian ethics.
Fishing, mining, manufacturing, farming were all part of the booming landscape. The great Cunard shipping empire had its beginnings as did the Banks of Nova Scotia and the Merchants Bank, later to become the Royal Bank.
It had its own legislature, led by the great orator and journalist, Joseph Howe, its own currency and its own stamps. From what I can learn, there was no such things as people out of work, and no one went begging even though large families up to 15 children were common. There was no welfare or social workers or UIC-people and the church looked after one another.
Where did it go wrong, so that it is now a “have not” province, with its hand out to Ottawa? Well, by the mid-eighteen hundreds, both Upper and Lower Canada, also Crown colonies, had exhausted their coffers, fighting with one another and looked at the gold in Nova Scotia's banks.
The rest is history: Charles Tupper and a battalion of British troops marched to Halifax to “save” the Nova Scotians from the Fenians based in Boston (who were a few score of Irishmen who couldn't even find their way to New Brunswick) and with a little help from Queen Victoria (who threatened to pull the Royal Navy fleet out of Halifax if the government in Nova Scotia did not cooperate) he carried the day. Joseph Howe's legislature valiantly fought off this intrusion and turned down the offer to join with the Upper and Lower Canadas but in the end, the intruders won their way with much bribery to local merchants (who feared losing their lucrative contracts with the Royal Navy) and promises of one-third of all senate seats to go to these selfsame merchants, in perpetuity, they caved in.
Charles Tupper was knighted and became Sir Charles Tupper for being a good little boy for his Queen and Joseph Howe was made a senator. And it's been downhill for Nova Scotia as the new capital of Canada, took over regulation of all aspects of the locals' lives from fishing to banking and killed the province's spirits and resourcefulness, leading to its sorry position today.
But Nova Scotia (like B.C., Alberta and Newfoundland) has its resources, especially with the recent discovery of huge amounts of offshore oil and gas and there is no earthly reason why it should wait at the end of the line any longer for the few crumbs that Ottawa doles out.
Confederation has failed them as it has the western provinces and the time has come for them to renew their natural ties with the New England states and get out form under this tyranny of a central government in Ottawa whose main interest is staying in power and to carrying out the orders of the financial power brokers of Toronto and Montreal. They can afford it, just like Newfoundland, Alberta and B.C.
Bob Ward, Victoria & Florida
[Editor's Note: Robert Ward is the man who blew the whistle on the fast ferry debacle in British Columbia, but who was unable to collect any damages from the former Premier for the comments admitted by the courts to be defamatory, since Glen Clark was acting “in an official capacity” and subject to a kind of privilege. Mr. Ward's assessment of the fast ferries has however been right on.]
The Western Separatist Papers welcomes your letters to the editor, including your questions for Doug Christie. Please send them to kzubko@shaw.ca, or WSP, Box 101, 255 Menzies Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 2G6, or fax them to 250-479-3294.
“Civilization is nothing else but the attempt to reduce force to being the last resort.”
Jose Ortega y Gasset
“It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.”
Ursula K. LeGuin, American writer best known for tales of science fiction, b.1925
“He is free who knows how to keep in his own hand the power to decide, at each step, the course of his life, and who lives in a society which does not block the exercise of that power.”
Salvador de Madariaga
“...the argument for liberty is not an argument against organization, which is one of the most powerful tools human reason can employ, but an argument against all exclusive, privileged, monopolistic organization, against the use of coercion to prevent others from doing better.”
F.A. Hayek
“...the truth of things is the chief nutriment of superior intellects.”
Leonardo da Vinci
“Disapproval is a very important factor in all progress. There has really never been any progress without it.”
James Henry Breasted
By Doug Christie
Now you can sign the petition asking the Premiers of the Western provinces to hold a referendum on Independence. All you have to do is either follow the link from our home page, or go directly to the online petition page at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/freewest/ You can help us by posting this link on discussion groups relating to Western Canadian interests, politics, and other topics, or by sending the link to your friends and asking them to sign also.
It's very interesting to read the comments written by the signatories, a sample of which follow:
“Face it, before the polls close in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec have already decided who the Government will be. It is time the West decides its own course, and stop pouring our hard earned tax dollars into the East.”
“The sooner the better to separate and maybe we can be equal instead of suppressed by eastern canada and have a human prime minister who listens to the voters in stead of feeding his own ego.”
"The money train stops here.”
“Proud Albertans”
“It is time for the west to enjoy its own benefits instead of continuing to deliver them all to the east. We go united!”
“It's time for our views to be known to the world and NOT be represented by an elected dictator with no concern for Western Canada or her citizens.”
“A great idea! Shared by many!”
“The sooner the better.”
“I am tired of the East ruling the West. Since this war with Iraq I am embarrassed to admit I am Canadian. I proudly fly the American flag. Free us NOW!!!”
“No more wheat board!”
“The war in Iraq is the last straw. The shock that the majority of Canadians support the actions of the government made me realize that not only does the government not represent us, but that we are very different from other Canadians.”
“The artificial "Soviet Union" went bust, so too must the artificial "Canada" Free the West!
"I am with you all the way.”
“"How Long halt ye between two opinions..." I halt no longer.”
“Separation...A necessary action needed to combat bad laws and government tyranny when living under a socialist regime.”
“I have been looking forward to this since I was a kid!”
Help us get more signatures on this petition, by referring people to our website, or to the link published above.
Our first Assembly for the Referendum was an enormous success. One hundred and thirty-three people from all over Alberta gathered at the North Hill Inn on Saturday, March 29th. We heard from seven speakers who had gathered over 100 signatures. They were interviewed by me, Doug Christie, on why they did it and how they did it. Too bad each of you couldn't hear what they said!
They each gave unique and interesting reasons which gave inspiration to all in attendance. One speaker gave 20 excellent reasons for Independence in short, pithy sentences which resulted in resounding applause on each reason.
The French television media were in attendance and recorded the event, which resulted in many emails and other communications expressing support later on from French Canada, as well as a few derisory ones. The English media all scrupulously and studiously avoided the event, as if they all uniformly agreed that it was not really happening. This, after the Premier had focussed on separatism in his speech the previous night.
I reported briefly for the meeting the position taken by the Premier of Alberta that these fundamental problems like the Wheat Board, the Kyoto Accord and the gun registry could be solved by changing the government in Ottawa. He had stated the previously night at the convention that separation was not necessary.
Quoted in the Globe and Mail, Premier Klein said: “"Friends, when we speak about strengthening Alberta's role in Canada, don't let anyone tell you the best way to resolve these frustrations is separation. Because you don't solve problems by walking away. You solve problems by taking them on, taking them head-on." . . . In lashing out at Ottawa's treatment of Alberta, the Premier outlined three proposals to improve relations between the two levels of government: annual first ministers meetings, Senate reform and a "clearly defined role" for provinces in international agreements. "The purpose of this role is not to usurp federal authority. It's to ensure provincial participation — participation that in most cases will be vital to the success of any international agreement." Mr. Klein said yearly first ministers meetings are crucial to good relations and to help avoid disputes, such as the fight over the Kyoto Protocol last year. On Senate reform, he said Prime Minister Jean Chrétien should appoint senators from lists of provincial nominees, which would allow provinces to hold elections, if they wish.””
According to the Globe and Mail's description of what was to occur at the convention, “[separatism] worked its way on to the agenda of this weekend's annual convention after lobbying by long-time party member Rob James. Worried the issue will hijack the meeting in the central Alberta city of Red Deer today, party officials put Mr. James's proposals up for discussion at a forum called "Strengthening Alberta's Place in Confederation." The forum was originally called: "Alberta's Place in Confederation." . . . "The party's gone through about eight different names for this session," said Mr. James, a financial planner from Bearspaw in southern Alberta. . . . Mr. James wants Alberta to gain sole responsibility by the end of the year for areas including natural resources, the environment, health care and firearms. If that does not happen, he wants Albertans to vote in a binding referendum on separation.”
It was in support of these efforts that we had planned to present our petition to Premier Klein at this point in the convention, and had exchanged letters and phone calls with the Premier's office about meeting with him, or his representative, to do so. It was uncertain whether the Premier would be available on Saturday, at the time of this crucial debate.
Regarding Premier Klein's assessment of the Canadian situation, I pointed out that these problems had been observed by the Reform Alliance Party and after the passage of 20 years nothing had changed. This, I said was an invitation to 20 more years of talk. The Referendum which the petition seeks would give the people of Alberta for once the power to choose, as it would for the other Western provinces.
I recounted the short conversation I had regarding Halvar Johnson with Peter Elzinga, who had advised that Mr. Johnson, not the Premier, would meet with me. I told the assembly that it was up to them to decide how the petitions should be dealt with. I then drafted the first resolution and the debate ensued. Speakers spoke for it and against delivering the petitions to the Premier. The turning point came when some speakers affirmed that they had assured those signing that they had promised they would deliver the petition to the Premier “today.” After call for the question, the vote was unanimous and the resolution to deliver the petition to the Premier.
The next resolution form the floor was to attend as a group at the Support the America rally being held at the city hall at 1 pm. The assembly divided on the issue and debate was heated. The result was a comment by myself that individuals were welcome to follow their conscience on the matter but the only point relevant to our cause was an invitation to those in attendance at the rally to realize that if they don't like Ottawa foreign policy they need to be separatist to achieve a foreign policy they can support. Otherwise they will continue to be pawns in Ottawa's game. The motion to attend as a group was defeated by a narrow margin.
These two resolutions were debated in a constructive, mature and intelligent manner and clearly demonstrated the courtesy and goodwill which used to be missing from disputes approximately 20 years ago in the separatist movement. It proved that reasoned debate, respectfully conducted is the best way to resolve differences.
Then came the implementation. A decision was made to drive to an area 100 yards from the Capri Convention Centre. There, about 100 people assembled. Our musical wagon was hooked up and our banners unfurled. Alberta flags were carried and looked spectacular waving in the breeze. Men, women and children marched happily along the road in a warm sunshine. “Free the West!” was chanted. At the door of the Convention Centre, we were invited in and greeted in a friendly manner. Mr. Kratchmer had been delegated by the assembly to carry the petition, which was contained in a box. He and I tried to find the Premier, but were stopped and told only delegates could attend. I asked if he could arrange another time when the petition could be delivered, and was told I could.
We then went outside to where the members had assembled by the door. I spoke briefly, telling them what had happened, and that Ralph Klein was the best premier Alberta has so far had, and called for three cheers for Ralph Klein. I addressed the media to the effect that our petition will simply continue with a target of 100,000 signatures by the end of the year. The assembly returned to their cars and some returned to the North Hill Inn, to discuss and plan further.
There is a lesson in all this: action creates more action. We tried to do what we should. The people in our movement had fun. We were temporarily delayed from delivering our petition but it will only grow more popular as all the futile talk of change is seen as not possible. We give the people the one thing they need, the power to choose. The petition will be circulated on a tour of Alberta in a few months, through as many towns as possible at meetings we will create. This occasion gave it tremendous momentum, almost to the point where it becomes self-perpetuating.
We have learned that to achieve our goal of Independence for Western Canada we need to concentrate in Alberta initially. Our members need to join the Progressive Conservative party and work within it to change the policy on separatism, something that was dramatically commenced within the convention itself. Our work outside only complemented and strengthened the work inside of Rob James and others who are struggling to bring the solution of separation into the mainstream debate, no easy task, when you're dealing with politicians and the forces that determine and move them!
Great strides were made at this particular occasion, and despite the anti-climax for those of us on the outside, who have already come to this conclusion, the shock waves within the convention were profound, simply from having the subject put onto their agenda, and this has altered the political landscape in Alberta, forever. Our efforts to continue building the petition will consolidate and build upon that foundation.
We need also to join, support and build every peaceful, reasonable separatist party available. The progressive conservative party has a policy convention in the fall, and by then we hope to have many more signatures. This was just one skirmish! The struggle is long, but if we keep going, the end is certain.
Robert Kratchmer has suggested and most of us agreed that to achieve 100,000 signatures by the end of the year is both possible and necessary. We can go from town to town to explain our case and gather signatures, distributing petitions as we go. We can establish a local Alberta address to receive these petitions while keeping our momentum focused on Alberta.
Ralph Klein has barely been able to maintain his stance that separation is unnecessary. Many of his party do not agree. While we were in his convention we got 10 signatures in five minutes for our petition. Many of our members are in his party. Many more will be before too long. The future belongs to those who persevere. We will not achieve freedom easily, any more than we surrendered to slavery quickly.
We plan to cover concentrated areas of Alberta during the first two weeks in June, and then later during one week in July and in August. We need your help to work in your area, the way that Clint Hutton and others did in Hanna, just taking their own area, and saturating it with petitions, and requests for help.
Itinerary
June 1st: Medicine Hat, location tba, 7 pm
June 2nd: Lethbridge, location tba, 7 pm
June 3rd: Fort MacLeod, Knights of Columbus Hall, 7 pm
June 4th: Pincher Creek, location tba, 7 pm
Where would you like us to go to, during the following days? If you live in one of the southern towns, and would like to have a meeting there, contact us as soon as possible, to help us set it up, and get working toward it. Call Doug at 250-385-1022, or Robert at 780-842-2927. Or fax to 250-479-3294, or email Doug at: dougchristie@shaw.ca. Or fill in the form on the last page and send it in as soon as possible.
Donate – money, time, energy, ideas
Attend meetings
Arrange and get people to meetings
Hand out hand bills
Raise media awareness by calling talk shows
Put an ad in your local paper advertising the meetings, and the petition
Get petitions and distribute them
Attend flea markets, gun shows, farmer's markets, craft shows, etc. and gather signatures on the petition.
Put up posters in your area
Call 5 friends and invite them to the meeting
Bring a carload to a meeting
Be the first person to deliver 500 signatures
Be the first to collect and donate $1000 to the tour
Build momentum by traveling with us and helping on the tour, for even one day!
With almost 6,000 signatures on the petition, we continue to gather more completed petitions each day and add them to the steadily climbing total. As well, we get new members, donors and supporters with each mail. We need your help to continue building this momentum. Please help us by suggesting ways of getting the petition to the public, person by person! After awhile it gets to the point where people are looking for the petition to add their signature to it. That's the point we need to reach. Please help.
A recent article widely published in the media highlights the fraud that the Kyoto Accord is attempting to perpetrate on people. Excerpts of this article follow:
Middle Ages were warmer than today, say scientists
By Robert Matthews, Science Correspondent, The Telegraph, April 6, 2003
Claims that man-made pollution is causing "unprecedented" global warming have been seriously undermined by new research which shows that the Earth was warmer during the Middle Ages.
From the outset of the global warming debate in the late 1980s, environmentalists have said that temperatures are rising higher and faster than ever before, leading some scientists to conclude that greenhouse gases from cars and power stations are causing these "record-breaking" global temperatures.
Last year, scientists working for the UK Climate Impacts Programme said that global temperatures were "the hottest since records began" and added: "We are pretty sure that climate change due to human activity is here and it's accelerating."
This announcement followed research published in 1998, when scientists at the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia declared that the 1990s had been hotter than any other period for 1,000 years.
Such claims have now been sharply contradicted by the most comprehensive study yet of global temperature over the past 1,000 years. A review of more than 240 scientific studies has shown that today's temperatures are neither the warmest over the past millennium, nor are they producing the most extreme weather - in stark contrast to the claims of the environmentalists.
The review, carried out by a team from Harvard University, examined the findings of studies of so-called "temperature proxies" such as tree rings, ice cores and historical accounts which allow scientists to estimate temperatures prevailing at sites around the world.
The findings prove that the world experienced a Medieval Warm Period between the ninth and 14th centuries with global temperatures significantly higher even than today.
They also confirm claims that a Little Ice Age set in around 1300, during which the world cooled dramatically. Since 1900, the world has begun to warm up again - but has still to reach the balmy temperatures of the Middle Ages.
The timing of the end of the Little Ice Age is especially significant, as it implies that the records used by climate scientists date from a time when the Earth was relatively cold, thereby exaggerating the significance of today's temperature rise.
According to the researchers, the evidence confirms suspicions that today's "unprecedented" temperatures are simply the result of examining temperature change over too short a period of time.
The study, about to be published in the journal Energy and Environment, has been welcomed by sceptics of global warming, who say it puts the claims of environmentalists in proper context. Until now, suggestions that the Middle Ages were as warm as the 21st century had been largely anecdotal and were often challenged by believers in man-made global warming.
Dr Philip Stott, the professor emeritus of bio-geography at the University of London, told The Telegraph: "What has been forgotten in all the discussion about global warming is a proper sense of history."
According to Prof Stott, the evidence also undermines doom-laden predictions about the effect of higher global temperatures. "During the Medieval Warm Period, the world was warmer even than today, and history shows that it was a wonderful period of plenty for everyone."
[end of article excerpts]
Join the Western Canada Concept
W.C.C., Box 101, 255 Menzies Street, Victoria, B.C.
Western Canada V8V 2G6; Or by fax:
250-479-3294
I wish to join the Western Canada Concept, and enclose my membership fee of $15.00, per person, per year.
Rush me more petitions.
I want to help organize a meeting in the following town/city:___________________
I will come on the tour to help gather signatures on the petitions.
I enclose a donation of $_______ to help promote the petitions in the media.
Please send petitions & information
about the Western Canadian movement for Independence to the following people
(please print clearly):
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
I want to help as follows:________________________________________
Name:_____________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________
_________________________Postal Code:_______________________
Phone Number_____________ Fax Number_______________________
Email Address______________________________________________
Western
Canada Concept -- Advocating Western Canadian Independence since 1974