Mr. Barnes: Now, there are a variety of measures we could take to reduce the impact of vaccine mandates when it comes to the job losses and the service disruptions. We can and should delay any job losses under plans that are put in place o ensure service continuity in rural regions, the same way Ontario and AHS delayed things. In addition, there is no question in my mind that we should accept antibody testing alongside rapid tests in order for employees to comply with vaccine mandates. Mr. Speaker, the natural immunity acquired by Albertans should not be ignored.
UCP MLA Drew Barnes fires off another rant about Alberta separatism
An independent Alberta could hold Canada’s economy hostage and force British Columbia into doing as it commands if Albertans supported separatism, says one of Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party MLAs.
In a guest post on the Western Standard, a right-wing digital publication run by former UCP MLA Derek Fildebrandt, current UCP MLA Drew Barnes shared a few thoughts on separatism and his opinion Alberta would somehow be less landlocked if it separated from Canada and had no access to tidewater.
“How to deal with being landlocked is a frequent and fundamental question when talking about getting a fair deal for Alberta, as a province, or as an independent nation,” Barnes wrote in the Western Standard. “While being landlocked is an issue, it is not the make-or-break issue for Alberta that federalists claim it to be.”
“Canada needs to trade through Alberta much more than Alberta needs to trade through Canada,” Barnes continued, adding that “if a vengeful Ottawa were to disallow pipelines and trade westward through BC, Alberta could stop all trade in both directions between B.C. and Eastern Canada.”
“BC would be turned into a proverbial East Prussia; that is, an exclave separated by Alberta and two oceans from the rest of Canada.”
Mr. Barnes: Thank you for creating good jobs that allow countless Albertans to buy homes, vehicles, and hockey equipment, all those ties that bind our communities.
Mr. Yao: It is an honour to rise in the House today to speak to Bill 24, An Act to Recognize AMA Representation Rights. This bill, while being only four pages, has a lot we need to address.
The Acting Speaker: Hon. member, just for clarity, have you not already spoken to second reading of this bill? I believe you have.
Is there anybody else that would like to speak to second reading? The hon. Member for Cypress-Medicine Hat.
Mr. Barnes: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We look alike.
