What’s The Albertan Story?
I care about this province being part of Canada's future. There is no argument that I can make that hasn't already been made about why separation is a broken idea. The internalized story of the separatist movement is that Albertans are victims, and currently there are no facts that can be presented to shift the foundation of that narrative. Facts no longer matter as much as they did in the past. Internalized stories inform beliefs, and carry the momentum of a speeding freight train. You cannot outpace a story with fact-checking or hope to derail a narrative in debate.
If facts worked, the matter would be resolved...and so we face a challenge. Most of us lead by debating the facts. Facts are important, but they aren’t good enough on their own. What’s the better story we should be telling over the summer? How do we drive Canadian unity?
The story I'm most interested in telling is that Albertans love Canada and are here to build its future. We are hard-working, generous, and happy to play a role in making Canada a great country to live in. This is the story I was raised on and the one I want to pass onto my kids. The love for our country is not exclusive to any one side of the political spectrum. No matter how you’ve voted, if you love Canada, you belong to this movement towards national unity. This is the story we need to continue to tell with clarity. I also believe this is the story that keeps us from wasting energy on assumptions about how conservatives or liberals view our province.
For what it's worth, I am angry that these doors have been opened by the provincial government of Alberta; but we'll deal with that at the next election.
Right now, Canada Day is only a few weeks away, and the main objective for all Albertans who love Canada is to welcome everyone who’s cheering for unity into this conversation. If you’re a progressive and you see conservatives out at the Canada Day pancake breakfasts or BBQs, make sure you reach out and shake their hands. If you’re conservative, trust that your left-of-center neighbors are not what the internet algorithms want you to believe they are. This is how we continue to build a better Alberta story.
The stakes are too high; unity is not just a value, but the foundation that keeps Alberta and the rest of Canada strong, secure, and able to face future challenges together. Let’s get this right.