Hatter’s warning letter to Newfoundland voters riles
Editor:
On July 17, a Newfoundland newspaper called The Telegram published a letter to the editor from a Mr. Gord Cowan of Medicine Hat titled “An N.L. vote for the federal Liberals is a betrayal of Alberta.”
Mr. Cowan was clearly very upset at how Newfoundlanders could have voted for the federal Liberals in 2015 and gave us the warning that should we be so bold to do so again, we would require passports to enter Alberta if the Liberals win another term as Alberta would separate from Canada.
I am a Newfoundlander who moved to Alberta almost five years ago. On behalf of Newfoundlanders, Mr. Cowan, I would like to formally apologize for our actions. Allow me to provide an explanation:
First, I was ignorant to the requirement that upon becoming employed in Alberta, I was now required to vote Conservative for the rest of my life. I must have missed that in my welcome package.
My understanding was that my Alberta employer required my labour, and upon providing it, I would be paid in return. Forgive me for not understanding that this is not how labour supply and demand functions in Alberta.
Second, you are quite correct that we Newfoundlanders voted for the Liberals because Trudeau promised us a land of “milk and honey and good fishing,” as opposed to looking at the platforms of each party and determining what we would consider to be the best option in 2015.
We are but a simple folk who are confused by those fancy mainlander politicians and their big words.
Finally, thank you for providing us formal notice of Alberta’s passport requirement upon their separation from Canada if the Liberals win again.
While I am confused at how separating will make it easier for a landlocked Alberta to get their oil to tidewater, I will be sure to reach to the nearest Alberta passport office when that occurs.
If the sarcastic tone of the above did not make it clear, hopefully this will: Newfoundlanders do not owe you a thing Mr. Cowan. We provided labour to help grow Alberta’s economy and industry, and we were paid in return. Both sides benefited. That is where each side’s obligation to each other ends. Justin Dunphy
Calgary