I keep hearing that the "west wants in" and I don't really get it.

[glarius]

I'm serious. When was the last time that a Prime Minister came from Ontario? You never hear "Ontario wants in." And what is it with this emphasis on where a P.M. came from? Don't we all have the same rights, privileges and everything else that Canada offers, no matter where in the country we come from? I'm really puzzled by this...not trying to be argumentative....:shrug:

[ClusterFreak]

1. Exactly.

I don't care where our leaders come from, as long as they are representing us in the best possible way.

[daleo]

2. Alberta conservatives just tend to be whiney

I live here, and have listened to this griping forever. They will call Harper a sellout and traitor within 12 months.

[SidDithers]

3. But will he move into Sussex Drive?...

Are there still Reformers in the party who care about that stuff? Or did that feeling die with the delivery of Preston Manning's contact lenses? :)

Sid

[daleo]

10. Manning must be mightily annoyed

He went to all the trouble of creating the Reform Party, and never got to be PM. He must be poking pins in a Harper doll.

[laundry_queen]

18. I saw a saying on CBC the other night.

When Liberals are in power, Alberta votes Conservative. When the Conservatives are in power, Alberta creates a new political party.

I thought it was funny and having lived in Alberta for most of my life (right now on the BC side of B.C./Alberta border - which is almost as bad) yes, I am interested to see how the reaction to Harper within a year will be.

It reminds me of the US right wing - all these slights, always playing the victim.

[Telly Savalas]

4. Can I start whining about "Toronto alienation" now?

[elare]

5. But what's the answer?

I seriously don't know who the last prime minister from Ontario was, and now you've got me curious.

I guess technically, because Harper grew up in Ontario ... he's it?

Oh my.

[ClusterFreak]

7. Lester B. I think.....

Ontario wants in!! Ontario wants in!!;)

[glarius]

8. The last Ontarion was Pearson and before him you have to go all the way

back to McKenzie King in the 1940s and world war two.

[Manix]

6. What I have always resented is this notion that only a CON

speaks for the West. We've had western MPs from LIBS/NDP, but somehow they don't speak for the West.
Gimme a break!

[Darth_Kitten]

9. Make up your mind Alberta......

You want to be included yet you seem to scorn the values of the rest of the country.

Make up your minds already and SHADDUP. ;)

[tlsmith1963]

11. We Seem to Have the Same Problem in America

The conservatives whine about liberals "oppressing" them, & yet they have all the power. And we have sharp political divisions by region, as well. I guess that in large countries (I'm talking about total land-mass, not population), you have this problem. America & Canada each have the land-mass of several European countries, so people can live very far from one another & have completely different ways of life.

Tammy

[glarius]

12. I totally agree with you.....It's a result of being separated by great

spaces that causes the divisions.

[V. Kid]

13. Ontario doesn't say it because it doesn't need to, because it isn't 'out'.

So anyways the whole point of the West wanting in relates to the way the west was treated historically, and simple matters of population and power. Most of the time the west was ignored. In fact vestiges of this still remain, such as the Senate. It's an example of the West being "out". All the western provinces have only six senators each. Lets put it this way, BC has 6 senators and 4 million people. New Brunswick has 750,000 people and 10 senators. You can see how this would cause problems. Then historically there were issues like the prarie provinces not controlling their own natural resources until 1930. Then there were slights like Brian Mulroney coming to power on the strength of Quebec and the West but making decisions that were in favour of Quebec more often then the West.

Look it's very complicated. A lot of it's hot air, a mythology that Albertan Conservatives promote to make themselves look like the victim and steal the "fighter for the little guy" mantle from other parties. Some of it's fair, and some of it is just related to the simple fact of the matter that the West has less people than Ontario and Quebec. Something Stephen Harper is going to have to find out if he wants to be a successful Prime Minister, which will simply piss his base off, and probably send the western protest vote in a diffrent direction (most likely NDP intrestingly enough) which would be pretty damn ironic considering Stephen Harper's roots in the Reform Party. He may just turn out to be another Brian Muldooney.

[Manix]

14. Yes, I agree there are some historical grievances,

and this is a myth driven by the idealoligy of Cons to advance their "victim/underdog" status.

Look at some of the top posts in the outgoing cabinet.

Deputy PM - Alberta
Finance - Saskatchewan
Health - BC
Treasury - Manitoba
Industry - BC

No western voices here!

[V. Kid]

15. So your saying a mix right?

Cause if so I agree. But Martin's attempts were sort of unique compared to what Chretien did.

[Monkeybumper]

16. First PM born and raised in Toronto in history

Steven Harper

[glarius]

17. He has spent most of his adult life in Alberta and is an Albertan for

all intents and purposes....His political life is as an Albertan...Don't be silly!