Entrepreneur and former political candidate, Nadine Wellwood, in conversation with law professor Bruce Pardy.
According to the 1998 Supreme Court “Secession Reference,” there are no predetermined legal conclusions regarding Alberta’s potential independence, meaning all issues are open for negotiation. Independence presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a new governance structure that corrects past wrongs, including the choice to continue existing Aboriginal rights or create a new framework. But a limitation imposed by the Alberta government, which has amended the Alberta Referendum Act to state that no referendum result can alter Aboriginal rights as guaranteed under Section 35 of the constitution, raises concerns about the government’s preemptive stance on these rights before the referendum occurs. In an independent Alberta, who will lead these negotiations? The current leadership could influence the outcomes significantly. If Alberta does not recognize its ability to make independent choices, the effort to separate from Canada may be futile, argues Prof. Pardy.
Divided into two parts, the discussion delves into the meaning of true freedom, which Prof. Pardy argues is characterized as protection from coercion or force by others, including the government. What would rights look like in such a society — where power derives from the people — and how would the legal system apply to minimize complexity, prohibit force yet allow maximum individual choice? View the second part of this conversation here.
Related Reading: An Independent Alberta Must Have a Constitution, In an Independent Alberta, Aboriginal Rights Should Not Exist, Virtue-Signalling Devotion to Reconciliation Will Not End Well, Confronting State Power.
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