Alberta voices: Canada can be improved, and worth fighting for

I am a federalist. Canada is a great country, and it is worth fighting for.

Alberta's frustration with Ottawa did not appear overnight. For many, it dates to the National Energy Program and has been reinforced over decades by policies that left Albertans feeling ignored. There remains a strong sense of alienation, particularly when it comes to pipelines, energy development, and access to tidewater.

More recently, federal immigration policies that increased population growth faster than infrastructure could keep pace placed additional pressure on health care, education, housing, and transportation. For many Albertans, these challenges strengthened the appeal of "Made in Alberta" solutions.

One of the greatest sources of frustration in Alberta is the unfair equalization program For many Albertans, it has become an enduring symbol of an imbalance in the fiscal relationship between Ottawa and the provinces.

The fiscal relationship between Ottawa and the provinces should be reviewed to ensure federal policies recognize the economic contributions and unique challenges of every region while maintaining fairness, transparency, and national unity.

Canadians are more likely to support Confederation when they believe every province is treated with respect and every taxpayer is treated fairly.

This is a moment when the federal government, the national media, and Canada's leading thinkers should be focused on rebuilding trust and strengthening national unity. They should be proposing practical ideas and projects that bring Canadians together—not deepening divisions. Canada should eliminate unnecessary interprovincial trade barriers, invest in nation-building infrastructure, and establish a Canadian energy corridor that allows our resources to reach global markets while respecting provincial jurisdiction, Indigenous partnerships, and environmental stewardship.

The name-calling and dismissal of frustrated Albertans must stop. These are hardworking Canadians who have contributed enormously to the country's prosperity. Their concerns deserve to be heard respectfully, even when others disagree with their conclusions.

If Canada is to remain strong, we must replace contempt with conversation, polarization with practical solutions, and regional resentment with renewed co-operation. Canada has overcome greater challenges than this. We can build a stronger federation—but only if every province believes it has a respected place within it.

Canada was built by provinces working together, not by provinces talking past one another. The path forward is not less Canada — it is a better Confederation.

— Ed Ammar was the Founding Chairman of the United Conservative Party

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Alberta Voices is an Edmonton Journal/Calgary Herald project that amplifies Albertans' thoughts on separation-related issues. Send your opinion, to be considered for publication, to edm-feedback@postmedia.com with the subject line Alberta Voices.