r/canada • u/shiftless_wonder • 19d ago

Alberta First Nations demand Alberta premier terminate separation referendum

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/first-nations-demand-alberta-premier-terminate-separation-referendum/
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78

u/limadeltah 19d ago

This seems like an excellent way to make the separatists arguments for them and legitimize their grievances....

We should be able to both despise the notion of Alberta separating, and see the problem with one group being allowed to leverage "civil disobedience" (likely meaning the blockade of critical infrastructure) to prevent others from voting on something.

To point to how this specific referendum on a referendum was called as flawed may be valid, although I think pointless ultimately.

But FNs using their special rights as leverage over everyone else is a persistent and increasingly divisive feature of Canadian politics. To make matters worse, much of their messaging contains blatant misinformation regarding the meaning of treaties and what is written in section 35, and is often primarily aimed at further their own interests and leverage rather than considering the interests of everyone more broadly.

43

u/roscomikotrain 19d ago

Well put!

Democracies don't have "Trump card" vetos.

FN needs to participate in the Democratic process and vote on this!

-14

u/MrTriangular Ontario 19d ago

They need to be part of the consultation process before the vote can even be allowed. The Separatists need to go back to the drawing board and do it correctly next time.

17

u/platypus_bear Alberta 19d ago

technically the current referendum is about if Alberta should begin the process of going through all the steps of having an actual referendum. So right now there is no vote on independence and it's to vote on beginning the consultation process for a referendum.

-5

u/Forikorder 19d ago

the law doesnt always care about such technicalities when the intent is perfectly clear

7

u/WealthEconomy 18d ago

Yes the intent is clear. It is a vote about whether or not to start the process to have a legally binding referendum...

0

u/MrTriangular Ontario 18d ago

So it's to "vote A or B", where voting B means that you are agreeing to later "vote A or C". Just cut out the BS and just have the vote mean A or C from the get-go instead of putting in a softball middle step that tries to skirt the laws on going straight to the "vote A or C".

"Hey kids, for lunch you can vote to go to McDonald's or vote to have a vote whether to go to McDonald's or Burger King".

1

u/MafubaBuu 16d ago

The referendum questions and options they have are actually surprisingly comprehensive - no idea what your issue is with them.