A growing separatist movement in Saskatchewan claims its catalyst for sovereignty stems from what they call the federal government’s overreach, which is hampering the province’s export potential, they say.
Clark Brotzell is chairman of the board at Unified Grassroots, a citizens’ advocacy group that supports Saskatchewan’s economic and social sovereignty.
“Sovereignty is the only way we’re going to move forward. Shaping society as we believe it should be shaped, not as Ottawa believes it should be shaped,” he said.
Brotzell said despite recent announcements made by Prime Minister Mark Carney to ease western alienation concerns, he has not seen much progress.
“Fifty years of neglect is hardly addressed in a few months of a couple of projects being announced,” he said.
Western alienation sentiments are not new, and have long been echoed by Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. However, Moe is now among those who have said Saskatchewan has benefitted from a “much more collaborative” relationship under Carney compared to his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.
Saskatchewan’s mining industry is also optimistic, according to the executive director of the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association (SIMSA), Eric Anderson.
“We’ve seen a seismic shift in things,” he said. In the past, SIMSA sent letters to Ottawa. Those letters were ignored or denied, Anderson recounted.
Now, he said, in a “huge development” the federal government is phoning SIMSA. The House of Commons committee on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and Major Projects Office reached out to the association recently.
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“There’s some minor concerns because you hear something said and then you don’t know if it’s actually going to become true. However, there’s been enough things said, on such a significant change in turn, that we’re very confident in them,” Anderson said.
Bill Prybylski, president of the Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) agrees.
“We’ve seen a shift in the attitude coming out of the federal government,” Prybylski said, adding it “seems to have shifted to the positive side.”
“Hopefully (Ottawa) will continue to recognize the importance of agriculture and the whole idea, decisions that are being made in Ottawa will certainly have an effect on how we’re able to do our business and farming here in Saskatchewan.”
Environmental regulations and tariffs on Saskatchewan exports, including canola, were said to be among the sources of farmers’ frustrations with the federal government under its previous leader, Prybylski said.
He is reserving judgment on the Carney government to see if the ideas being brought to the table “will translate into concrete actions that are going to be of benefit to producers,” the APAS president said.
Moe told Global News that while he may not agree with all of Carney’s ideas, he is glad to be heard “the Canadian way.”
“We work together (and) try to work through our differences. Ultimately, you don’t get your way every time, but you do get your way sometimes. And often, you can find a mutual landing spot,” the premier said.
Separatists dispute this. The Saskatchewan Prosperity Project told a town hall in Moose Jaw that those changes aren’t manifesting for the common person.
“We have government overreach that is beyond belief now with our resources. We can’t get our resources off the ground. We can’t do anything. We have no vote. We have no say,” said Brad Williams, president of the Saskatchewan Prosperity Project, a group separate from United Grassroots, though both appear to have similar goals, with Brotzell telling Global News that the prosperity project is “doing great work”.
Williams said the neglect experienced by western and northern provinces is unacceptable and fundamental to the separatist movement in Saskatchewan.
On Wednesday, Carney said he would hold a virtual meeting with the premiers in anticipation of negotiations on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
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