Vote for Canada

Purely personal opinions incoming, not speaking for anyone else....

I want to talk about the biggest conversation going on in Alberta: the referendums we’re facing this October.

 I haven't posted any thoughts yet. Not because I don’t have opinions, and not because I’m afraid of the conversation. But because I’ve had my head down. Work is incredibly busy, I'm getting as much time with my boys in as I can, and I’ve got some volunteer commitments heating up too. I just haven't had time to put pen to paper (or even think much about) the referendums yet.

 And that’s the danger here.

 I think there are a lot of people like me. People who are just going about their lives and not getting engaged in this conversation.

Which could have tragic consequences.

 This isn't something any Albertan can sit on the sidelines for. If everyday, busy Albertans treat this as the “unserious idea” it is by staying uninvolved, those who actually show up will decide our future.

 Tearing apart the world's oldest democratic federation isn't a regular political debate. Just the conversation is already hitting our economy. It is also distracting us from finding ACTUAL solutions to our challenges. So this fall, we need to show that this talk of separation needs to be put to bed. But that won't happen if those of us who know it is an unserious idea stay home because we don't take the referendums seriously.

 Those of us who are busy can't just assume this issue will go away. We need to take the time to show up and vote this October, make sure our friends and neighbours do the same, and send an undeniable message that Alberta is part of Canada. And we don't want that to change.

 Now don't get me wrong. I get why some Albertans are seeking a radical change. I fully respect that people are worried about their future and don’t feel their voices are heard. I also get wanting to see big changes in Canada. In fact, I often feel that way, too. A huge part of my professional time right now is spent pushing hard for change at both the federal and provincial levels. I know we have big work to do. I don't suggest we ignore the very real problems facing our province and our country.

 But separating from Canada isn't the solution.

 Independence would be horrendously expensive. It has a challenging legal and political path. And Alberta would be worse off on its own (and even worse off as an American territory) than it is now.

 Speaking just as a person: in 2026 I have been fortunate enough to get all the way from St. John's to Victoria to Yellowknife. From coast to coast to coast, I love this country. Throughout my travels, I reflected on what it would be like to cross an international border to visit the ocean or see my Canadian friends and family. I can't imagine handing over my passport. I am Canadian, and I don't want to stop being Canadian.

 Speaking as a business person: I know that these referendums are not just chilling but actively chasing away investment. I'm very nervous about the economic fallout. Capital demands stability. Putting time and capital into a business is always risky, but adding fundamental constitutional uncertainty is unacceptable risk. Small business is the heart of the economy, and talks about separation have me less excited about investing in my businesses. I know many owners/operators who feel the same way. I have also personally talked to CEOs responsible for portfolios worth billions that are re-evaluating Alberta capital projects. We aren’t just chilling investment. Talks of separation are actively chasing capital out of Alberta.

 Speaking as an elected person: I've had the privilege of getting to know local, provincial, and federal elected folks from across the country. I've disagreed with many of them vigorously. But I have yet to meet one who doesn't want Alberta to succeed. Instead of tearing up Canada, we should be focusing on investing in municipal infrastructure that powers our economy and strengthening local governments which are closest to our people. I wish we would spend even 10% as much attention on strengthening municipalities as we spend on weakening Confederation.

 The question we will consider in October will be if we should start a legal process toward a binding vote. But make no mistake: taking the next step in that process opens the door to exit. And it keeps this destructive, distracting, anti-investment conversation going. So we need an overwhelming majority to choose the clear alternative: Alberta must remain a province in Canada.

 If you agree with me: don't keep your head down. A lot of people did that for Brexit, assuming it wasn't a real possibility, then woke up the day after the vote regretting that they didn't show up. The biggest danger here is complacency because people just assume this is going nowhere. So you need to show up and vote. More than that, please consider donating your time or money to organizing and getting other people to the polls. I’ll post details below about how you can get involved.

 Some people are thinking about voting to "keep talking separation" just to "send a message." But Alberta has been heard. I think we have more traction on pushing for change than we have had in decades. However, nothing will destroy the collaboration we are building faster than continuing to work toward tearing Canada apart. And major private investment dollars are at risk if we keep this up. There is too large an economic cost to playing this game.

 If you’re someone who’s pro-separation: I wholeheartedly disagree with your "how" to solve the real challenges in Canada. But you aren't wrong that there are some big things that need to get fixed. Let's work towards actual realistic solutions to those problems.

 Anyways, that's my two Canadian Pennies.

 Are you willing to give some time or some money to organizing? I'll post some links in the comments about where you can start.

 Are you curious, or do you vehemently disagree with me? I'm always excited to meet up for a coffee (or a pint) or go for a walk to talk more...

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How you can get involved:

If you do want to help in organisation to get people to vote:

The most important thing is work your personal network. Make a couple social media posts. But don’t stop there. Talk to people too. Make the case for Canada. Share about the dangers of playing games by voting “yes” just “to send a message.” And make sure that they cut through their busy lives to find time to vote on October 19th.

If you want to give your time or money to some organized efforts:

If you want to approach this from a centrist and/or neutral-ish perspective, checkout www.forever-canadian.ca/en. This group has done a remarkable job of mobilizing a tonne of Albertans from across the political spectrum. You can order a lawn sign, make a donation, or signup to volunteer with them.

If you want to approach from a more conservative bent, checkout www.leadnotleave.ca. This group is made up political, academic, and media folks. They aren’t taking donations or volunteers (at this time anyways), but have some decent material to share.

If you want to work with a group that has a more progressive outlook, I’m not aware of a non-partisan option at the moment. But I’m sure one will pop up: I’d encourage you to keep your eyes out.

And there are also partisan opportunities to get involved. The UCP has pledged to campaign for Alberta to remain in Canada and while I haven’t seen its formal campaign startup yet, you could contact your local Constituency Association to get involved. Same with the Alberta Progressive Tory Party. The NDP has started up its For Alberta, For Canada campaign at www.foralbertaforcanada.ca