Prairie perspectives

While Matthew Hays’s reasons for Alberta-hatred are likely shared by many outside of Alberta, I can’t help but think that his rant is nothing more than a disguised, if pathetic, jealousy that since leaving Alberta he isn’t eligible for an extra $400 [“Five reasons to hate Alberta,” Feb. 2].

Let’s face it, Alberta is rich, it has emerging political power and, unlike Quebec, has the capability to truly separate from the federation without plunging into fiscal crisis. This scares people, and it should.

Without Alberta paying billions of dollars in transfer payments to the equally whiney provinces of Quebec and Ontario, this country would be fucked. Yes, Alberta is socially backwards and our premier is a belligerent drunk, but at least we don’t hold referendums on sovereignty every decade because we are so insecure about our culture—however flawed it may be. That’s what makes Canada great. Each region despises the other, no work gets done and we all get to whine about it.

Last month, 10 Conservative MPs were elected to Parliament from Quebec, many of whom hold cabinet positions. Finally, Quebecers can whine to Albertans and Albertans can whine to Quebecers. Maybe then we will realize how similar we are.

» Proud Albertan

Do you know that I was willing to let Quebec have its little spiteful way in many things. I was really hoping that we could actually get this country together with the Conservatives at the helm, I was hoping the hate-mongering would stop and the divisive policies would come to an end. Now I can see that people with small brains like Matthew Hays spouting off at Westerners have killed that hope. Now would you please take your country of Quebec and just leave? We are tired of sending you billions of dollars in order to hear you whine and snivel constantly about us. Please go and no more money!

» Joyce Munro,
Western Separatist

Ahem, your Albertan in exile forgot that when he talks about urban centres concerned about the Conservatives, Alberta is one of the most urbanized provinces in Canada. It’s like we say here in Redmonton: North of Red Deer our politics are left, south of Red Deer you have the largest American city in Canada, Calgary.

Don’t confuse the Party of Calgary (Kleins’ PCs) with the rest of us.

» Eugene Plawiuk

Matthew Hays is taking some pretty wide swings there. Just because we Albertans gave the Conservatives all our seats, don’t be fooled into thinking we gave them all our votes (a third of us voted for other parties). The Conservatives have done enough to hurt Alberta already. We hardly need you beating us up for it too.

» Ryan McCourt, Edmonton

What an asshole you [Matthew Hays] are. Oh well, I guess I will just take my cheque and go shopping! Is this the reaction that you crave? There you have it. Let me just reiterate a couple of times maybe. ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE!

» Clarence Bekolay, Edmonton

Defending the IRA

In her diatribe against the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Canadians of Irish descent, Louise Gardner might have had more credibility if she had discussed another source of terror and violence in Ireland: the British military presence [“IRA sentimentality shocks,” Letters, Feb. 2].

For decades, the British army and the sectarian Royal Ulster Constabulary tortured, harassed and killed Irish civilians with impunity. In addition, British Intelligence infiltrated and manipulated Loyalist paramilitaries responsible for murdering hundreds of innocent people. Bizarrely, it has even recently been revealed that a leading Irish Republican, Dennis Donaldson, who was head of IRA intelligence in the 1980s, was a British agent. All of this happened with the general indifference of the British public, who, Ms. Gardner kindly assures us, “have nothing against the Irish.”

Ms. Gardner’s analysis of the IRA’s “defeat” is simple fantasy. The IRA announced an end to its armed struggle because it saw its objectives could be attained through political means. What does Ms. Gardner say to the fact that Sinn Fein, some of whose members were in the IRA, is now the largest Nationalist party in the North of Ireland and the fastest growing party in the Irish Republic? Ms. Gardner’s rant has little to do with the political realities of Ireland today.

» Kevin Callahan, Montreal,
Coalition for Peace in Ireland

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