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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Alberta's long and fruitless struggle for respect within confederation (Western Standard)

IMAGE CREDIT:  Rutherford House 

In the late 19th century, Alberta’s diverse cultural and ethnic landscape was shaped by frontier pragmatism. Home to Métis, First Nations, and settlers from Ontario, the British Isles, and the United States, the region saw waves of immigrants from Germany, Ukraine, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe arrive in the 1880s and 1890s under federal policies aimed at populating the prairies. This vibrant mix fostered a resilient, industrious society and a distinct political culture — individualist, self-reliant, and increasingly skeptical of eastern authority.

Alberta’s struggle to assert itself within confederation did not begin in 1905 — it predates the province’s very creation.

Frederick Haultain, Premier of the North-West Territories from 1897 to 1905, fought fiercely against Ottawa’s decision to divide the West into two provinces — Alberta and Saskatchewan. Haultain proposed a single, autonomous “Province of Buffalo” with a non-partisan legislature and full control over its resources. His vision was rejected by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, who prioritised political control and patronage over western unity. The split diluted the West’s influence and sowed the seeds of a subordinate provincial structure that persists to this day ...

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