4 Conservative MPs warn Alberta separatist movement could rise unless Ottawa fixes 'inequities'

FourConservative MPsfrom Alberta have released what they're calling the "Buffalo Declaration," a 13-page notice that calls for "immediate action" from the federal government or elseresidents of the province willseek separation from Canada.

"We are drawing clear line [sic] in the sand. In this declaration, we set before you the inequities our people face and concrete ideas to rectify them," the document stated. "Immediate action must be taken because we are hearing from many people in our province that they will be equal or they will seek independence."

The Buffalo Declaration name is a nod to a proposed name for Alberta and Saskatchewan while the provinces were still part of what was known as the North-West Territories, before the two joined Confederation in 1905.

The document, which was released Thursday, bearsthe names ofCalgary MP Michelle Rempel, Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards, Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner MP Glen Motz and Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen.

Among other demands, the document calledfor the federal government to acknowledge the "devastation of the National Energy Program" in the House of Commons andeliminateor phase out equalization in addition to retroactively lifting the cap on the fiscal stabilization fund.

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The demands are necessary, the document alleged, because Alberta is "physically and structurally isolated from economic and political power structures."

"Eastern Canada functionally treats Alberta as a colony, rather than an equal partner," the document said.

Separate from Fair Dealpanel

This new declaration is separate from the ongoing study being undertaken by the Albertagovernment, which concluded its tour across theprovince in late January.

That study, dubbed the Fair Dealpanel, is similarly geared towards addressing the province's separatist sentiment. It is due topresent its recommendations to government in a report before March 31.

Despite a shared frustration with Ottawa, the provincial panel is studying whether to withdrawfrom the Canada Pension Plan, forma provincial police force and establisha formal provincial constitution, among other measures.

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Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said though the two initiativesweren't directly related, they shared similar DNA.

"It's a real hodgepodge of different ideas, and that's why I think you need to put both of those in tandem. One is coming out of the provincial government, the other is coming out of Alberta-based Conservative members," Bratt said. "So the Conservative Party provincially, federally they're all trying to come up with different ways of creating greater powers and autonomy for Alberta within Canada.

"But the consequence of that, if these were enacted, would be a country that nobody would recognize."

Though the declaration owes its name to a region that originally included Saskatchewan, the proposals contained within are wholly focused on Alberta, including a demand that the federal government recognize Alberta "or Buffalo" as a culturally distinct region within Confederation.

"They talk about repealing any law that Alberta doesn't like," Bratt said. "So it would be independence, in all but name."