Wexit Canada
Wexit Canada | |
|---|---|
| File:Wexitcanadablackandwhite.png | |
| Leader | Peter Downing |
| Founded | January 12, 2020 |
| Headquarters | Leduc, Alberta |
| Ideology | Western separatism[1][2] Conservatism[3] |
| Colours | Black |
| Slogan | The West Wants Out |
| Seats in the Senate | 0 / 105
|
| Seats in the House of Commons | 0 / 338
|
| Website | |
| wexitcanada | |
Wexit Canada is a Canadian federal political party. It advocates for the secession of Western Canada, which includes British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The name is a play on Brexit, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.[4]
The party planned to run 104 candidates across the four provinces in 2020 and to run candidates for the provincial levels of government.[2] The group initially gained traction in October 2019, shortly after the 2019 Canadian federal election, when the Liberal Party under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was re-elected to form government.[5] As of early 2020, the party started purchasing billboards in Alberta criticizing Trudeau, sparking public discussion over the lack of representation in western Canada.[6] The party is currently led by former Christian Heritage candidate Peter Downing. The party conducted a minor protest in Edmonton, involving approximately 100 separation supporters.[3]
Western separation
Wexit Canada's operators plan for their federal-level party to be used as a "shield" for smaller provincial operations. No member of parliament in the House of Commons openly sympathizes with the idea of secession. The party wants a presence in the House to advance its goals. The party says it lacks enough momentum in Manitoba to achieve its goals there; however, it has larger pockets of support in the other three provinces.[1][better source needed]
Provincial parties
Alberta
The Wexit Party is registered as a provincial party "Wexit Alberta".[7] According to its constitution, its plans include abolishing the provincial branch of the RCMP and the establishment of an "Alberta National Police" and a "Provincial Sheriff Program". It plans to adopt an official currency to replace the Canadian dollar as well.[8][9] Barry Cooper, a political scientist formerly of the University of Calgary who supports Western separation, said of western and eastern Canada's separate cultures in an interview with BBC, "It’s a failure of trying to understand the other—we don’t share the same myths about what the country looks like, and we never have."[10]
Saskatchewan
Scott Moe, premier of Saskatchewan, proposed a "New Deal" with the federal government, the closest attempt at a form of renegotiation.[11] The Wexit Party is registered as a provincial party "Wexit Saskatchewan".[12] However, Wexit believes that if enough people support secession, Moe will hold an election regarding the issue.[13]
Anti-Trudeau billboards
In early 2020, billboards that called for Trudeau's jailing appeared around Alberta, including Calgary and Edmonton. The billboards sparked an uproar and support on social media.[14][15] Those billboards pointed to the Wexit Party's website and were purchased though Signpatico, an advertising agency based in Regina. Signpatico promised to vet future ads more carefully and stated, "We do fundamentally stand by freedom of expression, as per the charter. But we're not intending on inciting perceptions of hate speech or offensive ads."[14]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Wexit The Plan" (PDF). Wexit Canada. Wexit Canada. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dryden, Joel. "Wexit party granted eligibility for next federal election". CBC. CBC/Radio Canada. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "'We're looking for our own country': Wexit supporters brave cold in Edmonton for referendum protest Saturday". Global News. Corus Media. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ "'Wexit' should heed pitfalls faced by other separatist movements: experts". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
- ↑ Macvicar, Adam. "Wexit political party can now run candidates in Canadian federal elections". Global News. Corus Media. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- ↑ Antoneshyn, Alex (January 12, 2020). "Wexit Canada becomes eligible federal political party". CTV News Edmonton. Bell Media. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ "Wexit Alberta". Wexit Alberta. Wexit Alberta. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ↑ "Wexit Alberta Constitution". Wexit Alberta. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ "Wexit Alberta Platform". Wexit Alberta. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
- ↑ Levinson-King, Robin (October 11, 2019). "Wexit: Why some Albertans want to separate from Canada". BBC News. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
- ↑ Hunter, Adam. "Premier Moe demands 'new deal,' says he is handing Justin Trudeau a 'fire extinguisher'". CBC. CBC/Radio Canada. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ "Wexit Saskatchewan slams Moe, Sask Party as it applies for official party status". March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ↑ "Wexit Saskatchewan". Wexit Saskatchewan. Wexit Saskatchewan. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Franklin, Michael (January 11, 2020). "Anti-Trudeau billboards advertising Alberta Wexit campaign cause an uproar". CTV News. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- ↑ "After anti-Trudeau billboards spark outrage, ad company says it will re-evaluate vetting process". January 12, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
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