'Kick the federal government out': Alberta independence among demands at Red Deer townhall

Alberta independence among demands at Red Deer townhall About 200 people gathered in Red Deer for the province’s “fair deal” for the province.

RED DEER — While Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and eight of his cabinet ministers were in Ottawa Monday demanding a “fair deal” for his province, about 200 people gathered in Red Deer to add their voices.

Kenney’s nine-person “Fair Deal Panel” held its second-ever townhall in a 500-seat venue at Westerner Park Monday night.

About half the seats were empty, but the vast majority who spoke said Alberta is treated poorly by the Government of Canada.

"I’ve watched 170,000 people in Alberta suffering because they don’t have a job: houses being foreclosed, suicide rates through the roof, veterans committing suicide on our legislative grounds. And you want to ask me if we’re getting a fair deal? Absolutely not,” Patrick King said at the microphone.

King, an out-of-work oil and gas worker, was one of many to blame the federal government for Alberta’s economic struggles.

“Take control of this. Kick the federal government out of this,” King said to applause.

During the two-hour event, speakers expressed support for a provincial police force, an end to gun control and outright separation from Canada.

“Socialism has been eroding and eating away at this country,” Norman Wiebe told the panel.

Wiebe, a Red Deer resident of 50 years and a local financial planner, said he’s watched his clients struggle and is ready to vote for separation, unless the Canadian Constitution is rewritten to Alberta’s benefit.

“We need independence for Alberta. We need that as the hammer to push ahead any of these ideas,” Wiebe said.

Only a few people spoke against separation, or the idea to withdraw Alberta from the Canada Pension Plan.

Anita Thomas, a Red Deer resident for 13 years, wants Alberta's arrangement in the CPP left alone.

She also spoke in favour of pipelines but worried about Alberta relying too heavily on oil and gas.

“We need research and technology and investment in higher education to position Alberta to prosper in a post-carbon economy and world,” Thomas said.

Stephen Lougheed, a panelist and the son of late Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, said he’s hearing a wide variety of concerns, including calls for Alberta to leave Canada.

“Certainly a lot of concern about children and grandchildren, and do they have a future here in Alberta or Canada?” Lougheed said.

Red Deer was the second stop on the province-wide townhall tour. The first meeting was held in Edmonton on Dec. 3.

The “Fair Deal Panel” is said to be a sold-out event in Calgary on Tuesday night.

Kenney is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa on Tuesday to address Kenney’s “fair deal” demands.