(By Murray Mandryk / Regina Leader Post.)
The people attending today's forum in Yorkton to discuss the separation of Saskatchewan and the West from the rest of Canada should be embarrassed.
But if they aren't, at the very least they should have the common courtesy of not embarrassing the rest of us in this province who happen to think that, all things considered, this is a pretty damn good country to live in.
This separation talk goes well beyond ridiculous.
But I suppose we in the media must bear at least some of the responsibility for the fact that such nonsense gets as much attention as it does.
We in the media do this over and over again.
ProWest Farm Rally Group. Saskatchewan Rally Group. First Nations Party of Saskatchewan.
It really doesn't matter if your numbers don't really extend much beyond the same few tired faces (see: Harvey Linnen, Lloyd Pletz, Bob Thomas. Brendan Cross) that appear to have fallen in love with the TV cameras.
Just pick a fancy title for your organization or cause and insist that there are massive numbers of people out there that share your view.
It really isn't important that you have nothing meaningful to add to the discussion.
(Frankly, it is likely a hindrance given that ranting and swearing and generally being obnoxious affords you a much better chance of making the national news. You may all recall that proud Saskatchewan moment at the rally in Dafoe when Linnen stood on the back of a flatbed truck screaming: "Tell them guys to get their ass out here and make something happen right now.")
Which brings us to the "Western Independent Nation" -- a supposed western separatist movement meeting today in Yorkton to discuss striking an alliance with the newly formed Alberta Independence Party.
Perhaps we are unfairly pre-judging what will come out of Yorkton today. Let's hope and pray we are.
But based on what we've heard from our supposed separatists to date, there is a good chance that we will be cringing before our television sets tonight.
There is a distinct possibility that we will yet again experience the joy of watching the national perception of this province being shaped or articulated by another group that has absolutely no clue what its members are talking about and less of an idea of what it is that they really want.
Consider what we've heard from them so far: "We need to separate from Ottawa and get out from under their taxation schemes that they have," explains Preeceville farmer David Sawkiw, whose claim to fame in politics to date was his candidacy in Canora-Pelly for the discredited provincial Progressive Conservatives in 1995 where he finished last with 1,579 votes and his candidacy as an independent in Canora-Pelly in 1999 when he got a mere 126 votes.
"We seem to be always treated like a colony out here. Our taxes go down to Ottawa and they never seem to send anything back."
When it comes to separatists, those in Quebec may actually be no less parochial or self-absorbed and -- at least to this point -- are likely even more megalomaniacal than their counterpart separatists purporting to speak for us westerners.
But at least they are capable of mustering a rational argument -- as self-serving as it often is -- that Quebec has historical, cultural and language differences that distinguish it as a separate nation.
At least they've studied their country and their history. Has Sawkiw?
Does he really appreciate the historical bonds of this nation, or is his dedication to separatism driven by a nose-out-of-joint reaction to the fact that Ontario and Quebec soundly rejected a severely flawed Canadian Alliance platform?
And even if he hasn't recently picked up a Canadian history book, has Sawkiw at least picked up a provincial budget?
Does he know that Saskatchewan is receiving $359 million in equalization payments as a "have-not province" this year?
Does he know that during the past decade that Saskatchewan has drawn roughly $4 billion from this revenue-sharing arrangement?
As difficult as it is to figure out what it is that Alberta separatists -- benefiting from a $7-billion surplus this year -- have to whine about, at least one can understand why they might be a little annoyed by continually subsidizing other provinces like Saskatchewan.
But given the way we in Saskatchewan benefit from federalism, what is that we are complaining about? None of our money ever comes back from Ottawa?
Do Sawkiw and company have a clue that roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of all the money the provincial government spends each year comes from federal transfers from Ottawa.
Does Sawkiw know that Ottawa collected a total of $4.3 billion in all federal taxes from Saskatchewan in 1999, but sent back $6.3 billion in program spending and transfer and equalization payments?
Have your little separatist meeting if you will.
But please don't pretend that you speak for me.
