Central Alberta ‘grassroots’ separatists unified for new nation

By Johnnie Bachusky

Innisfail and area separatists want no part of a 51st state as they insist Alberta has potential to be free and prosperous on their own 

INNISFAIL – Mary Flemming is well known in the community for speaking her mind.

These days it’s mostly about Alberta’s future.

At the age of 78, the Innisfail resident is a passionate supporter of the province becoming an independent country.

But there’s been a cost to her and husband Larrie Davis, a self-proclaimed separatist for the past 50 years.

“Were shunned by our neighbours,” said Flemming. “They wouldn’t get in the elevator with us. They wouldn’t talk to us. They treat us like lepers.

“There’s something fundamentally wrong with Canadians who flip their compassion, their intelligence, their ability to examine a situation from both sides and say, ‘oh, maybe we have to think about this.”

On Sept. 22, less than a month away from the Oct. 19 referendum, a group of local and area supporters of Alberta independence gathered on the new rooftop patio of Innisfail Bowling Lanes to have a discussion with the Albertan.

Along with Flemming and Davis were Spruce View’s Ted and Sandi Richard, Joe Wagner of Innisfail and Jeff Olson, owner of the local bowling alley.

The six independence supporters were friendly, courteous, respectful and grateful for the opportunity to chat with mainstream media about their movement, and why it’s so important for them and their families to vote on the side of Alberta independence on Referendum Day.

Of course the vote on Oct. 19 is not binding and if their side comes out on top there is a promise by the provincial UCP government to begin the legal process under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding second provincial referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

But for the six, next month’s referendum is still a major milestone along their path to achieve Alberta independence.

Final option

For too long, they say, the current system in Canada has failed them, leaving no other option but to be part of the movement to create a new country.
The five believe trust has dramatically eroded with today’s federal institutions.

They also say there’s a selective application of the rule of law, particularly with unvaccinated citizens amidst the tumultuous era of COVID-19 restrictions.

“During COVID, I was proud to fly the Canadian flag. The truckers convoy made me proud to be Canadian even though the government was doing stuff I didn’t agree with,” said Ted. “And then after him was Mark Carney, and that’s when it really went downhill. So now I fly my Alberta flag, and that’s all.”

His wife Sandi said she’s always wanted “redemption” and if there was “hope” she would prefer to seize that but that too is gone.

“I know there is no hope when it comes to opening the constitution and making it fair for all elections, fair so that the east and the west are equal,” said Sandi, adding there’s too much pressure for the young to own their own homes.

“There are so many couples that I know that aren’t having kids because they feel like they can’t afford it, (and) no hope to buy a home,” she said. “When it’s down to it, a nation needs to have a husband, a wife and children to build and to grow.

“The average owner of a house has to be 41 before you can own a house. That’s ridiculous.

“The federal government is stopping Alberta from prospering,” Sandi added. “For years we paid (federal) transfer payments and they just keep cutting and cutting, and enough is enough.

“I am so saddened by the lack of compassion.”

Non-binding vote

The six have played their part during a long UCP-inspired process to get to the first ever Alberta referendum on separation, one that’s not even binding, and lumped in with nine other unrelated issues.

There is also the steady diet of publicly released pre-referendum polls that show the pro-Canadian side having an overwhelming lead, and not stalling.

But Ted believes the separatist side has gained momentum in the past month but emphasizes the Oct. 19 decision is not a binding vote to either remain in Canada or secede.

Olson said even if the separatist side gets enough votes to trigger a second binding referendum “it’s going to be rigged” in order to prove the pro-independence movement did not make its mark.

“That’s how corrupt I believe this whole thing is going. We’re going to have enough but I think they’re going to make it look like we fell just short,” said Olson.

Flemming on the other hand says she’s hopeful, noting she’s been a separatist since the days of Pierre Trudeau when his government introduced multi-culturalism, bilingualism and the metric system.

“We have different campaigns, different leaders, but we’re all one, and I think that’s important to recognize,” said Flemming. “They (leaders) are preparing hugely to get out the vote.

“It’s an amazing strategy, and I’m taking part in it,” she added. “They’re reaching thousands of people.”

Wagner believes the rural vote will be a key factor in winning the upcoming referendum for the side of independence.

“I’m hopeful that we can get the 50 per cent. I think we’re quite close,” said Wagner.

Patiently hopeful

If the independence side should lose on Oct. 19, they all agree it will just be a mere pause for the movement.

“If we lose this we’ll pick up our socks up and we’ll get back to it,” said Ted. “I believe that’ll happen throughout Alberta. I’m sure some will give up, but that’s not Alberta nature, right? That’s not that’s not who we are.

“We’re a grassroots organization. We’re not even an organization,” he added. ‘Everybody’s just trying to move in the same direction, and I believe that’ll happen throughout Alberta.”

Jeff said he will be motivated if there is a loss as it will mean the independence side will have to form its own political party.

“Until the Stay Free or the Alberta Prosperity Project starts their own party, nothing’s going to happen,” he said. “That’s is when things will get real.”

And Wagner looks to the Quebec experience for inspiration, noting it took the French speaking province 25 years to have a referendum.

“We’re year number two now, and we’re very close. And Quebec was only one per cent in the beginning,” said Wagner, convinced a sovereign Alberta would prosper. “We give 60 billion a year to Ottawa, we get back 27 billion.

“That’s a 33 billion dollar plus coming our way, and the amount of businesses that would come to this province would be unbelievable throughout the world. It would be just be unbelievable.”

But Davis fears a loss could bring serious consequences from Ottawa.

“If we do not win this right to have a referendum, Ottawa is going to step up their hate and abuse of us,” he said. “I’m afraid that anybody younger than us, the productive ones, are going to pack up and go south.

“They have been doing it for the last 50 years, and it’s going to be massive.”

No 51st State

All six agree with hearty chuckles the option of becoming the 51st state of the United States of America is not one they ever want to consider.

“That is a lie. We want to be our own constitutional republic,” said Sandi. “Just because we might consider using the U.S. dollar, which is used for trade all over the world, we do not want to be a part of the American state.

“We are Albertans, and we like to work hard, and we like to rodeo, and we like to bowl, and sit on top of the bowling alley.”