Alberta separatist group suffers setback after judge orders review of referendum question
'A referendum on Alberta independence that could lead to the breakup of Canada is serious business,' Court of King's Bench Justice Colin Feasby wrote in a decision released Thursday. Despite arguments from Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) that there was never any harm in just asking if Albertans wanted to be a 'sovereign country,' Feasby countered that it's not 'plain and obvious' that the proposal was constitutional, and that arguments on both sides needed to be heard. 'Democracy demands nothing less,' he concluded.
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Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
Maine state senator's pitch for western provinces to join U.S. is ‘nonsense,' says ‘enraged' B.C. MLA
VICTORIA — A British Columbia legislator said he went from 'disappointed' to 'enraged' after receiving a pitch from a Republican state senator for Canada's four western provinces to join the United States. Brennan Day, with the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, said his office had to first confirm the authenticity of the 'nonsense' letter from Maine Sen. Joseph Martin after receiving it last week. Martin's three-page pitch said if B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were to seek admission to the United States after referendum votes, it would have to be as full American states. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'This would not be annexation. It would be adoption — welcoming home kindred spirits, who were born under a different flag but who desire to live under our Constitution and accept our responsibilities, customs, and traditions,' he wrote in the letter shared by Day. Martin said in the letter that his appeal is not a 'fantasy of empire' but a 'vision deeply rooted in American tradition' that would give the four provinces a chance to 'leave behind failing ideologies.' 'For too long, Canadian citizens have been subjected to an illusion of freedom administered through bureaucratic means,' he wrote, adding that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 'while lofty in rhetoric, provides no absolute protection.' He said this was in contrast to the U.S. Bill of Rights. Martin said 'millions of people currently frustrated by central authority, moral decay, and bureaucratic suffocation' would be rewarded by 'liberty' if the four provinces were to join the United States. 'The welcome mat is out,' he concluded. Day said the most shocking part of the letter was its attack on Canadian institutions, like the Charter of Rights, parliamentary government, monarchism, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and the dismissal of those cornerstones as 'political baggage.' Day said in an interview that Martin needed to look at 'how heavy his luggage' is. He said Martin's party was 'hauling around wheeled trunks' of baggage in the United States where the Constitution was 'being torn up by Republicans.' Day said it was not clear why Martin wrote to him, but suspected it might be due to 'rhetoric' coming out of Alberta that led Martin to believe British Columbians would be interested. Martin did not immediately respond to a request for comment left by voice mail and text. Day said he had written a response to Martin, in which he acknowledged that Canada has problems. 'But we don't fix them by surrendering our identity, as you suggest,' Day said in his response. 'We fix them by doing what Canadians have always done — rolling up our sleeves, listening to each other, and finding common ground.' Day said in his interview that the 'overwhelming majority of Canadians' like themselves just as they are. 'We have got a lot of work to do in improving our services, and making sure that we are spending our money wisely, and getting good value for it,' Day said. 'But I don't think anybody here looks south and goes, 'we want more of that.'' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. legislator shocked by American senator's 'nonsense' pitch to join U.S.
A B.C. legislator said he went from disappointed to enraged after receiving a pitch from a Republican state senator for Canada's four western provinces to join the United States. Brennan Day, with the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, said his office had to first confirm the authenticity of the 'nonsense' letter from Maine Senator Joseph Martin after receiving it last week. Martin's three-page pitch said if B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were to seek admission to the United States after referendum votes, it would have to be as full American states. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'This would not be annexation. It would be adoption — welcoming home kindred spirits, who were born under a different flag but who desire to live under our Constitution and accept our responsibilities, customs, and traditions,' he wrote in the letter, which Day made public. Martin said in the letter that his appeal is not a 'fantasy of empire' but a 'vision deeply rooted in American tradition' that would give the four provinces a chance to 'leave behind failing ideologies.' 'For too long, Canadian citizens have been subjected to an illusion of freedom administered through bureaucratic means,' he wrote, adding that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 'while lofty in rhetoric, provides no absolute protection.' He said this was in contrast to the U.S. Bill of Rights. Martin said 'millions of people currently frustrated by central authority, moral decay, and bureaucratic suffocation' would be rewarded by 'liberty' if the four provinces were to join the United States. 'The welcome mat is out,' he concluded. Day, the MLA for Courtenay–Comox, said the most shocking part of the letter was its attack on Canadian institutions, like the Charter of Rights, parliamentary government, the monarchy, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and the dismissal of those cornerstones as 'political baggage.' Day said Martin needed to look at 'how heavy his luggage' is. He said Martin's party was 'hauling around wheeled trunks' of baggage in the United States where the Constitution was 'being torn up by Republicans.' Day said it was not clear why Martin wrote to him, but suspected it might be due to 'rhetoric' coming out of Alberta that led Martin to believe British Columbians would be interested. Martin did not respond to a request for comment left by voicemail and text. Day said he had written a response to Martin, in which he acknowledged that Canada has problems. 'But we don't fix them by surrendering our identity, as you suggest,' Day said in his response. 'We fix them by doing what Canadians have always done — rolling up our sleeves, listening to each other, and finding common ground.' Day said the 'overwhelming majority of Canadians' like themselves just as they are. 'We have got a lot of work to do in improving our services, and making sure that we are spending our money wisely, and getting good value for it,' Day said. 'But I don't think anybody here looks south and goes, 'we want more of that.''
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. legislator shocked by American senator's ‘nonsense' pitch to join U.S.
VICTORIA – A British Columbia legislator says he went from 'disappointed' to 'enraged' after receiving a pitch from a Republican state senator for Canada's four western provinces to join the United States. Brennan Day, with the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, says his office had to first confirm the authenticity of the 'nonsense' letter from Maine Sen. Joseph Martin after receiving it last week. He says the most shocking part of the letter was its attack on Canadian institutions, like the Charter of Rights, federalism, multiculturalism, and the dismissal of those cornerstones as 'political baggage.' Day says Martin needs to look at 'how heavy his luggage' is, and his party is 'hauling around wheeled trunks' of baggage in the United States where the Constitution is 'being torn up by Republicans.' Day says it's not clear why Martin wrote him, but suspects it might be 'some of the rhetoric' coming out of Alberta that led him to believe British Columbians would also be interested. Martin's pitch says if B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were to seek admission to the United States, it must be as full American states. He says entry would not be in the form of annexation, but adoption, and the welcoming home of 'kindred spirits who were born under a different flag.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
