A letter from Thomas Lukaszuk

Why I support a unified Canada with Alberta.

My family, refugees from totalitarian Poland, arrived in Canada 43 years ago. We were welcomed by Canadians, total strangers, with open arms.

Since then, I haven't gone a day without feeling gratitude for Canada. Canada is a beacon of hope and freedom for millions of people who wish to be Canadian.

History has shown us the economic devastation that results from discussions of separation or secession. In the 1970s, when Quebec considered separation, businesses and investments fled the province, and the negative economic effects are felt to this day. That was when the Bank of Montreal and many other prominent companies moved their headquarters from Montreal to Toronto.

We have seen similar economic devastation in the United Kingdom during Brexit and in Spain's Basque region.

Alberta must not follow that path.

We live in turbulent geopolitical times.

Our democratic institutions are being undermined. In response, we are building new trade partnerships and military alliances, and we are committed to strengthening our Canadian economy through nation-building projects.

None of this can succeed if we are internally fractured. In order to be a formidable force on the international stage, we must be domestically united.

Canada isn't perfect.

There have always been regional disagreements, and there will probably always be.

However, what sets Canada apart from most nations is the fact that we have strong democratic mechanisms and institutions that allow us to either negotiate or litigate these differences. Threats of cessation and weaponizing separatism are not part of our political process or a negotiation tactic. We must reject those who deploy such measures.

Lastly, we all mourn the fact that Quebec's FLQ crisis spiralled into kidnappings and assassinations. These acts of violence were not contemplated by FLQ organizers, but, as we saw in recent protests in Alberta, these movements can get out of control and deteriorate. It is incumbent upon us to prevent that.

This is why I decided to mobilize Forever Canadian, a group of my friends from all walks of life, with very diverse political beliefs, to give Canadians living in Alberta an opportunity to reject separatism, show our unconditional love for Canada, and send a clear message to the world that Canada is not divisible.

I love Canada, and I know that you do too. Now is the time for us to show it.