[Federal Leviathan] A Study of Canadian Ideology, Part 1 (Overview)

The Quebec government has published its own consolidated version of the Constitution—now in its fourth edition: the first edition, dated January 1, 2021, contained no new provisions but explicitly rejected the federal Department of Justice’s decades-old doctrine of 'indirect amendment'; the second edition, issued on June 1, 2022, asserted the legitimacy of its two constitutional amendments; the third edition, released in December 2022, defended the validity of section 128Q.1; and the fourth edition, published on November 14, 2023, incorporated Saskatchewan’s section 90S.1. Footnote 38 of the fourth edition states that section 90S.1 is 'reproduced with permission of the King’s Printer for Saskatchewan.' The two provinces have thus mutually endorsed each other’s unilateral constitutional amendments—not only ignoring Ottawa entirely, but doing so with the formal rigor of copyright authorization. To date, Canada lacks a single, uncontested authoritative text of its Constitution. The federal government maintains its own version; Quebec maintains its own; italicized and roman typeface versions speak past one another. A country unable even to agree on how its constitutional text should be formatted—let alone what it means—can hardly claim to possess a unified national ideology. IV. Watching Others Dance While in Chains The only ideology successfully codified into nationwide legislation in Canada is precisely the injunction 'not to have a unified ideology.' In contrast, the U.S. ‘melting pot’ narrative—though socially organic—is backed by state machinery: public school systems, oaths of allegiance, and linguistic assimilation pressures. As for China’s ideological apparatus—those who understand, understand. Under such an exceptionally loose national ideological framework, Canadians each blow their own horn and sing their own tune. At least children in Ontario still sing the national anthem at school; children in Vancouver need not. Of course, Canadians cannot be wholly blamed. Although the 1982 patriation of the Constitution replaced 1867 in the nation’s founding narrative—marking a new beginning—in legal terms, Section 53 and the Schedule of the *Constitution Act, 1982* merely renamed the *British North America Act* as the *Constitution Act, 1867*, which remains fully in force today. The Liberal Party changed the story—but legally inherited the old framework. Officially, this substitution is described as 'maturation,' not 'rupture.' Even the official narrative itself refrains from revolutionary negation or raising a national banner, daring only to proclaim itself a 'mosaic' culture. In my view, multiculturalism is the gravestone marking the failure of a unified national ideology; Pierre Trudeau Sr. merely presided over the funeral of collective ideological unity. V. The Foundational 'Spaghetti Code' The 1933 *Regina Manifesto* offers a particularly telling example. It stands among the most radical mainstream socialist platforms in Canadian history. Its concluding line reads: 'No C.C.F. Government will rest content until it has eradicated capitalism.' Even this socialist manifesto insisted—while pledging to abolish capitalism—on scrupulously respecting provincial jurisdiction. For any seasoned Canadian politician seeking to promote an ideology, a host of immediate questions arise: What about Quebec? What about the other provinces? How to accommodate diverse linguistic and religious communities? And what about Indigenous peoples? A highly unified-ideology state must possess the capacity to answer such questions—and ultimately define which identities belong to the nation, and which identities must submit to it.

(2025.05.02) How should we view the increasingly evident signs that Alberta may soon hold an independence referendum?

From a strictly legal standpoint, Alberta’s successful secession is virtually impossible. In 2000, the federal Liberal government led by then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien passed the *Clarity Act* in Parliament, stipulating that if a province seeks independence or separation from Canada, the referendum question must first be approved by Parliament; then negotiations must follow with all other provinces and Indigenous nations; and only thereafter may a formal referendum be held. Crucially, every step in this process requires a two-thirds majority vote—simple majority is deemed invalid. Moreover, public opinion polls indicate that only 20–30% of Albertans genuinely support independence; in an actual vote, no more than 15–16% would likely cast ballots in favor. Furthermore, the anti-independence campaign has already gathered over 430,000 signatures, and multiple Indigenous nations have launched legal challenges asserting that Alberta’s independence cannot proceed without their consent. Canada’s current Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has likewise warned against repeating the Brexit referendum scenario on Canadian soil. To placate Alberta, Carney reached an agreement with Premier Danielle Smith: the federal government will jointly advance construction of a new oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast, diversifying Alberta’s oil export markets and reducing dependence on the United States. Upon completion, the pipeline is expected to transport one million barrels of oil per day. Notably, China’s Rongsheng Petrochemical has already expressed interest in becoming the largest buyer for the new pipeline—having previously purchased Canadian crude via the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline and shipped it back to China for refining at a rate of 800,000 barrels per day. However, Alberta has formally announced it will hold a preliminary referendum on October 19 this year, asking residents whether they support launching the independence process. Though this vote itself will not directly determine secession, it could become a pivotal step toward pursuing independence. In a recent report, Dr. McQueen—Co-Director of the Artificial Intelligence, Data, and Conflict Centre at the University of Regina—explicitly warned that U.S. interference in Alberta’s independence movement is occurring openly and brazenly, and that Washington may even consider coercive measures aimed at effecting regime change in Canada. Alberta’s abundant resources make it a prime target for U.S. ambition. While Canada is globally renowned as an energy superpower, Alberta alone holds petroleum reserves equivalent to those of the entire country. According to statistics released by the Alberta Energy Regulator, the province’s original oil sands deposits total 1.63 trillion barrels—of which approximately 180 billion barrels can be refined into crude oil. At a daily production rate of 4.16 million barrels, these reserves could sustain extraction for over 700 years. Beyond oil, Alberta’s oil sands also yield asphalt and natural gas: asphalt reserves stand at 400 billion cubic meters, while natural gas reserves reach 32 trillion cubic meters—comparable to Russia’s. Notably, Alberta’s agricultural strengths are equally formidable: it produces 45% of Canada’s barley, 30% of its wheat, and 3 million tonnes of canola annually—accounting for one-third of Canada’s total canola oil exports. Should Alberta successfully secede and align itself with the United States, Washington would gain full control over North American energy resources—using them to sustain its global hegemony—while Canada would suffer catastrophic economic damage or even face federal disintegration.

Unease in Alberta Deepens as Carney Stares Down Vote to Separate

Oct 1, 2026

Alberta faces a critical referendum driven by disputes over oil and gas wealth and pipeline access. Prime Minister Mark Carney supports a new export pipeline to boost energy capacity, while major energy firms weigh in on the separatist movement.

bloomberg

2026-05-13

Carney’s Trade Push Beyond the US Is Just a Gold Rush, For Now

2026-05-13

Carney to visit Calgary on Friday to announce industrial carbon pricing deal, sources say

2026-05-14

Carney says Canada, Alberta will advance a potential crude oil pipeline

2026-05-14

Carney Leaves 2030 Emission Reduction Target Unclear

2026-05-20

Carney Pitches Reluctant British Columbia on New Oil Pipeline to Fuel Asia