A new political movement whose aim is to have Alberta separate from the rest of Canada held a meeting in Airdrie recently. 

The Western Independence Party of Alberta (WIPA) has a platform that says, "its conception and most rudimentary value is to achieve secession from the rest of Canada."  The group's founder, Larry Smith, says for too long, Alberta, and for that matter the rest of Canada, has been controlled by Ontario.

"People need to realize that Alberta, well essentially all of Canada, is controlled by the people in the GTA, or the greater Toronto area, and specifically the 905 and 416 area codes.  What they want, they get.  If the Prime Minister won't deliver it then they elect one that will."  

Smith says he'll let people judge for themselves on how Alberta is being treated.  "Have a look at what's happened over the last year.  It took Justin (Trudeau), what was it, about a week to close the BCC ports to essentially kill the pipelines.  They have always been anit-Alberta and I don't think anybody would really deny that."

The party isn't actually registered in the province yet.  Right now they're in the signature gathering stage needing 8,000 to get registered.  So far the group has collected over 1,000 in just over three weeks.  There are two arms of the party, a provincial one as well as a federal one.  The provincail movement, Smith says,spans all of Alberta.  

"We have representatives from corner to corner in the province."  WIPA wants to have people run in the next provincial election.  "We actually have right now, off the top of my head, I believe 47 that have committed to constituencies at this time."

Smith is positive that the movement has legs.  "We've got some really good people that are driving this now.  The federal side is really taking hold.  I'm keeping that in check as I'm building support, but it will shake Canadian politics."  

 

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