Conrad Black: Alberta referendum should spur Canada to do better

The recent Alberta referendum results have provided Canadian federalists with a cause for optimism. Seventy-five percent of voters opposed the idea of Alberta seceding from Canada, a significant margin that likely surpasses similar percentages achieved in U.S. referendums. This outcome suggests that a comparable question posed in a state like Texas would likely yield a similarly high percentage of opposition to independence.

The author speculates that if Alberta's voters had been more ambiguous in their response to this crucial question, the United States administration might have pressured Canada into holding a referendum on a controversial federal arrangement. This arrangement would have entailed Canada accepting a one-to-one exchange rate between U.S. and Canadian dollars while retaining control over gun laws.

Additionally, Americans residing in Canada would be denied eligibility for Canadian social benefits for a period of five years, potentially affecting the 20 million most vulnerable individuals seeking welfare assistance in the United States.

The author suggests that a separatist vote of 30% or even 40% in Alberta could have led to such an unfavorable proposition being accepted by Canada. Consequently, the country might have faced a significant rupture, similar to the disintegration of a pomegranate.