The Lavigne Show: Host Paula Lavigne unites two leading Canadian voices, Lawrence Solomon (renowned columnist and environmental policy critic) and Bruce Pardy (law professor and constitutional scholar), to explore Albertan independence and themes related to Canadian sovereignty, productivity, and potential political realignments. Canada’s productivity, and its reliance on the U.S. market, suggests that Canadians have an inflated sense of entitlement to our neighbour’s lucrative market. The conversation shifts to the idea that Canada would be better off as part of the United States, although this is unlikely to happen as a unified entity. The possibility of Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador joining the U.S. is discussed, drawing parallels to the controversial admissions of Hawaii and Alaska. The analogy that Alberta is caught in a “bad marriage” is examined. Has the time come to admit the marriage has failed? President Donald Trump has presented Alberta with an opportunity to move on, but with a limited time window. Concerns about Canadian security in the Northwest Territories due to interest from China and Russia may force a reckoning for all of Canada, whether we’re ready or not.
Related Reading: “If Trump Wants Canada, Here’s How He Gets It,” by Lawrence Solomon.