Canadian Party Head Slams Political System Says West Will No Longer Be Overlooked
TORONTO, Canada (Sputnik) â" The interim leader of Canadaâs Maverick Party, Jay Hill, put the countryâs political landscape on notice, telling party members that Western Canada will no longer be taken for granted and that only his party will advocate for the regionâs interests at the federal level.
The Maverick Party - formed in January 2020 following a restructuring of the WEXIT Party, which advocated for Western Canadian secession - held its inaugural party convention on Saturday.
The partyâs top brass and affiliates outlined their vision for a renewed relationship with Ottawa, following years of perceived slights from the federal center that has left the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan feeling alienated from the rest of the country.
Leader Says West Needs Proper RepresentationDuring a 25-minute speech Hill, who represented the British Columbia riding of Prince George-Peace River for 17 years, rallied against Canadaâs political establishment and voters in the Central Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec in making his case that the party represents Western Canadiansâ only option for appropriate representation at the federal level.
âWeâre gathered here today because, as Westerners, weâve had enough of a Canada that doesnât work for all Canadians, especially Canadians in the west,â Hill told members of his party.The interim leader emphasized that all parties favor predominant political thought in Central Canada, ignoring the priorities of voters out West. Hill took particular aim at the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), which holds all but one seat in Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as its leader Erin OâToole.
âUntil the Maverick Party, there wasnât a single federal party standing up for the West⦠no, not even Mr. OâToole and the Conservative Party of Canada,â the interim leader said of the CPC, which has been accused by other parties and critics of excessively promoting Western Canadian interests.Hill emphasized that the Conservatives, like other parties, want power and thus, inevitably, turn their attention to Ontario and Quebec, which combine for 199 out of 338 total seats in the House of Commons.
The Maverick Partyâs head stressed that continuing to vote for Conservatives expecting adequate representation from the party is âinsanity,â albeit calming fears about possible vote splitting, underscoring that the Party would not field candidates in competitive ridings, where the possibility of electing a Liberal or New Democrat exists.Hill also seemed to take issue with attitudes about Western Canada amongst Canadians residing in the central part of the country.
âIt tells you something about voters in Central Canada that when the prime minister puts down their fellow Canadians out west they like him the better for it,â the leader said, commenting on Prime Minister Justin Trudeauâs alleged bias against the region.
Additionally, the interim leader highlighted a long-held view that Western Canada is responsible for the countryâs economic prosperity, noting that compatriots in central regions donât understand the âfactâ that Canada would be a âthird-world countryâ without the West. The Maverick Party has vowed to rework the system, which transfers funds between provinces with monetary imbalances.The party would not repeat a historical âmistake,â in pursuing a nationwide presence, Hill underscored, referencing his former Reform Partyâs roots in Western Canada, but which ultimately pursued a national agenda and dissolved in 2000, with its remnants later merging them with Progressive Conservatives to form the CPC.
Mavericks to Pursue Constitutional Reform, But Not Ruling Out Split With CanadaWhile the partyâs roots lie in the secessionist WEXIT movement, the party, for now, is pursuing a strategy perfected in Central Canada, namely Quebec.
Canada and Quebec have endured a volatile relationship since the countryâs confederation in 1867. The predominantly Francophone province, which places the utmost importance on preserving its French culture and heritage, has undertaken several efforts in the past to secede from the federation, including holding independence referendums in 1980 and 1995.
However, in recent decades the province has placed an emphasis on carving out its own identity within Canada, with Quebec recently moving to unilaterally amend the Canadian constitution - defining Quebec as a nation with French as its official language - and accordingly strengthen French-language requirements for businesses, government institutions and schools.Hill says this is a blueprint the Maverick Party can use.
âThe first step is to learn from Quebec. They wrote the book on dealing with Ottawa,â the former house leader said. âFor nearly 30 years Quebec has sent [Members of Parliament] MPs to Ottawa that represent Quebecers - we must do the same.â
However, this strategic approach doesnât mean the Mavericks have entirely abandoned their secessionist roots.
âIndependence must be an option,â Hill said, again referencing Quebecâs historical separatist push. âNot necessarily independence, but independence if necessary.â
The Western-oriented party is pursuing a two-track approach, where the party, on the one hand, will be pursuing constitutional reform and better representation in Ottawa but simultaneously seeking to create an independent nation in Western Canada. The approach was reflected in the party constitution, which is being voted on by the party membership.
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