The Honourable Ralph Klein
Premier of Alberta
Room 307, Legislature Building
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6

Dear Premier,

I know you are a committed Canadian and how much Albertans love theircountry. For this reason, I am writing to address any misunderstanding that yourrecent comments may have created about your unwavering attachment to Canada.

I am sure you will agree that nothing justifies secession – or the threatof secession – in Canada. Nothing justifies such a threat, whether in Alberta,in Quebec or anywhere else in our great democracy.

Secession is a very grave act whereby an international border is establishedbetween fellow citizens who thus cease to be fellow citizens. There is nojustification in our democracy for transforming Canadians into foreigners inrelation to one another.

Since the end of the Second World War, whenever secession has occurred, ithas been in the context of decolonization or following the break-up oftotalitarian empires, where fundamental rights have been violated. This bears noresemblance to the context of a well established democracy such as Canada.

Nowhere in the world is the spectre of secession raised with regard to aninternational protocol on the environment, or a wheat board, or a firearmregistry program. Albertans who oppose Kyoto, the Canadian Wheat Board or the FirearmsAct are no less Canadian than other Canadians. Albertans who support thosefederal policies are no less Albertan than other Albertans.

Both our governments are working to develop the best policies for ourcountry. In the process, we sometimes have disagreements, which we have toovercome as best we can. But it would be unfair to Canada to call into questionits very existence simply because our governments have disagreements. Otherdemocracies do not do so.

I have lived in France and in the United States. I have met many French andAmericans who strongly disagreed with policies of their national governments. Ihave never met any who, as a result, called into question their belonging andattachment to their country. There is no reason for things to be any differentin Canada.

I hope you will clarify that fundamental difference between love for one’scountry and opinions about one’s governments, as Premier and party leader,whenever the spectre of separation is raised.

"Don’t slay the messenger," you say (Calgary Herald,February 19, 2003 p. A1). But, this is the point, you are more than amessenger – you are a leader. And a leader must say that the threat ofsecession is morally wrong in a democracy.

As you yourself have previously stated in an open letter on February 9, 2001:"The existence of tension in a federal system however, is not a sign ofirreconcilable differences – it is inevitable and exists in all federations."

As for our current disagreements, let us continue to work towards resolvingthem for the benefit of Albertans and all Canadians. That is what our fellowcitizens expect of us, in this Canada in which we all believe.

Sincerely,

Stéphane Dion