Alberta Can Strengthen the Canadian Brand

Choosing Canada: A Stronger Future Together

An 80 year old Canadian chooses Canada

Choosing Canada should carry no negative connotations. It should express confidence in our ability to build a strong, prosperous and independent country that works for all Canadians.

Albertans have legitimate concerns and deserve to have them heard. But the answer to those concerns need not be separation. A stronger Canada would be better equipped to address the needs of Alberta, Quebec, British Columbia and every other province and territory.

Our strength lies not only in our natural resources, our economy or our place in the world. It lies in our people, in the diversity of our cultures and experiences, and in our willingness to work together.

That must include a genuine commitment to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We cannot build a better Canada by overlooking the people whose histories on this land long predate Confederation. We must acknowledge the wrongs of our past, respect Indigenous rights and treaties, and continue the difficult but necessary work of reconciliation. Inclusion must mean more than words; it must be reflected in meaningful partnerships, respect and opportunity.

At a time when Canada is working to diversify international trade, attract investment and establish stronger relationships around the world, our ability to work together is an important national asset. Division and prolonged uncertainty risk distracting us from these responsibilities.

Choosing Canada does not mean accepting everything as it is. It means believing that we can improve what needs fixing without abandoning what we have built together. It means recognising that our country is an ongoing undertaking, one that each generation has a responsibility to make fairer, stronger and more inclusive than the one before.

We should be able to debate our differences openly while recognising that our shared future is greater than any one province’s interests.

A strong and prosperous Canada is not the enemy of Alberta’s future. It is an opportunity to build that future together — with Indigenous peoples as respected partners, and with room for all the cultures and communities that make this country what it is.

Choosing Canada is not a rejection of our differences. It is a commitment to making those differences part of our strength.