by Talking to Albertans
«What would Alberta look like if we stopped asking Ottawa for permission and started building our own future?
In Episode 10 of my Value of Freedom series, I continue reading through the Alberta Prosperity Project’s draft fiscal plan for an independent Alberta, this time covering the section called “Towards a Great Economic Future.”
This is where the document moves beyond the basic fiscal case and starts asking what Alberta could become with independence, lower taxes, deregulation, expanded oil and gas production, better market access, a stronger Heritage Fund, and a government built around Alberta’s own priorities.
The plan lays out a bold future where Alberta could dramatically increase oil and natural gas production, attract major investment, reduce or eliminate personal income tax, lower corporate taxes, build a trillion-dollar Heritage Fund, and use Alberta’s resource wealth to create long-term prosperity for future generations.
But I also push back on parts of the plan.
I am strongly in favor of Alberta independence, but I do not want Alberta to win independence just so we can copy the same spending habits, political promises, and government dependency that got Canada into trouble. If Alberta becomes independent, we need to be fiscally responsible, protect our rights, build real wealth, and avoid blowing our future like someone who wins the lottery and spends it all.
In this episode, I talk about:
Alberta’s potential oil and gas growth
Why global demand for energy is not going away
Why the world should be using Alberta oil instead of oil from hostile or authoritarian countries
The argument for no personal income tax
The case for a low corporate tax rate to attract investment
Whether a 5% Alberta sales tax could make sense if other taxes are eliminated
Why Alberta is not really “landlocked” but policy locked by Ottawa
Why market access could improve after independence
Why the Heritage Fund should be protected from politicians
Why social programs should be funded sustainably, not promised too quickly
My concerns about subsidized post-secondary education
Why environmental protection still matters in an independent Alberta
And the big question: if Alberta were already independent, why would we ever agree to join Canada under today’s terms?
This document is not perfect. I have pushed back on it many times throughout this series. But that is exactly why I think this conversation matters.
Alberta independence should not be about blindly following anyone. It should be about Albertans thinking for ourselves, asking hard questions, debating the details, and deciding whether we want to keep living under Ottawa’s system or build something better.»