Saskatchewan group seeking independence from Canada holding meetings across the province

A aggroup promoting the thought of Saskatchewan separating from Canada says its public info roger huntington sessions ar drawing crowds.

The Saskatchewan Prosperity Project (SPP) says its presentations are meant to teach people about the benefits of Saskatchewan becoming a sovereign nation.

“Right now in Canada, it’s a sinking ship. And if we don’t take our lifeboat and throw it out and get off while we can, we’re going down with the ship and we don’t have to,” SPP president Brad Williams said.

SPP is aligned with the Alberta Prosperity Project, a group with similar goals for that province.

Williams spoke to a crowd of about 200 people at the Saskatoon-area meeting this past week. It was one of several sessions over the last five weeks in communities across the province, including Meadow Lake, Assiniboia, Tompkins, Prince Albert, Raymore, Leader, Swift Current and Kindersley. It plans to continue holding events across the province in the coming months to raise attention to what Williams says are the benefits of Saskatchewan sovereignty.

“What we really gain is that future for our children, you know, prosperity,” said Williams. “There’s no reason why we should be in a deficit. We should not be in any position other than having a surplus. And a lot of the taxes are way too high.”

Williams said the SPP also plans to speak with First Nations leaders. 

“I'd like to see First Nations people have a lot more say in what happens in the resource development on their land," he said. "For example, they could be the corporation that actually extracts it, instead of having to farm that out to some other company from somewhere else in the world."

The material resonated with many of the attendees at the Saskatoon-area meeting.

“After Covid, and through a lot of mistrust that I have in the current government, I'm interested in looking at ways that we can become more resourceful, more independent,” attendee Jordan Clark said.

SPP vice-president Dwayne Cameron described himself as having a “laundry list” of concerns with the federal government, including equalization, canola tariffs, and immigration taking place without enough planning. He said the response has been enthusiastic at all the events.

“We really want to get accurate information out to people. And connect with people on the ground at grassroots so that they are educated and informed and understand what can be different," he said.

He said SPP is working with other groups to find a legal pathway for Saskatchewan to separate.

Daniel Westlake, an assistant professor of public policy at Simon Fraser University, said actually separating Saskatchewan from Canada would be difficult under current laws.

Saskatchewan legislation allows the public to bring forward a petition for a non-binding plebiscite if 15 per cent of eligible voters sign on, but the results of such a vote wouldn't be binding, Westlake said.

“The constitutional infrastructure doesn’t exist in Canada for a province to just unilaterally vote itself out of the country. The process is more complicated than that," Westlake said.

A Supreme Court in the wake of Quebec's 1995 referendum said provinces are not allowed to unilaterally separate from Canada without a constitutional amendment, and all changes would have to be negotiated with Canada and the other provinces.

“You can’t just change the law by a referendum. In Parliamentary systems, in Canadian context, laws have to be changed by the legislature,” said Westlake. 

In Alberta, a judge recently ruled that a referendum proposal on Alberta separating from Canada goes against Charter and Treaty rights.

Regardless, Cameron said the group is going to continue working with people in preparation of any potential plebiscite, to help them understand the benefits of Saskatchewan taking control of its own resources and destiny.

“I think just through natural grassroots in doing these town halls and getting out and having real discussions with people and sharing the facts, I think it's just going to grow exponentially quite quickly.”

Reporter

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