The Rock Gets Set to Rock the Secessionist Boat

This story could end up getting sub-titled The Rock vs. The ROC (Rest of Canada). Liberal Senator George Baker has thrown a very unanticipated curve into the usually staid proceedings of Canadian politics by declaring yesterday during a radio interview that, "People (of Newfoundland and Labrador) will soon be advocating, you know, that we can't remain in the Confederation in which we're discriminated against and not respected for the great contribution that we make. I believe that day is coming for sure if this keeps up." Senator predicts Newfoundland separatist party The conservative National Post was quick to weigh in to-day, dishing out a not altogether surprising slap on the wrist with the article, Is The Rock eyeing sovereignty role?

By "this" Senator Baker was referring to a capped equalization formula that Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams insists will cost the province $1.5-billion worth of federal cash in the next three years. The capped formula is contained within the Federal Government's bail-out budget. Also on the hit list is Quebec which is purported to be short roughly $1 billion of transfer payments.

That provincial jurisdictions that are not altogether friendly towards the Conservative Government are the ones that are getting hit with the budget would seem to be self-evident. Premier Williams was the architect of the "Anything But Conservative" campaign during the recent federal election, and Quebec Premier Jean Charest turned on the Conservatives during the election over proposed cuts to the arts community.

The nature of federal-provincial feuds is about to change drastically. The case of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec are prime examples. The former is politically expendable, as are the Maritime provinces, because they carry no political clout in the federal system, i.e. 32 seats out of 308. The latter is owned by the Bloc Quebecois and no federal party of whatever political stripe is about to alter that.

The nature of federal-provincial feuds that is about to change needs to be seen within the greater context of the global financial meltdown and the related entry onto the Post-Peak Oil descent curve. Federal financial largess towards the provinces is a thing of the past. The federal coffer is running on empty and will continue to do so. The Canadian financial, political and geographical hinterland is best off awakening to this fact.

Via the secessionist shot across the bow taken by Senator Baker, one can only predict that the sleepy and politically corrupt Maritime provinces will be stirred to at least awaken, if not to immediate action. When the Maritimes finally get around to taking some kind of action the proposed Novacadia Independence Party should be reasonably cobbled together to field several candidates to advocate the inevitable secession of the Maritime provinces.

Post-Script: On March 6, 2009, the defender of the national fabric (along with the CBC) weighed in on the issue. In an editorial titled "Intolerable in a national party" The Globe opined:

"Mr. Baker belongs to the caucus of a national party that hopes to soon form a government. His status within that party, as a senator and former cabinet minister, gives him a platform. When he uses it to effectively advocate the formation of a nationalist - and possibly separatist - movement in his home province, he behaves so recklessly that fellow Liberals should be tripping
over each other to distance themselves, not making apologies on his behalf."

Someone is nervous.

Novacadia Network, Facebook Group

Announcement: A Facebook group for the Novacadia Network has been fired up.

Political Mandate and Identity Shift to a Proposed Novacadia Independence Party

During the course of "marketing" my independent candidacy in Central Nova in 2007 I became affiliated with the fledgling Atlantica Party. Our point of mutual concern and interest was the notion of Maritime Union for the Atlantic provinces. However, we disagreed fundamentally on the political motives for Maritime Union to such an extent that I felt it was in everyone's best interests to simply withdraw my support.

The Atlantica Party is somewhat soft on Maritime Union, placing it well behind its other policy initiatives of political and electoral reform. As a bioregional secessionist, I hold that Maritime Union must be at the philosophical and political forefront. The political equation is simple: Maritime Union precedes regional secession.

Furthermore, the Atlantica Party’s premise for Maritime Union is to foster greater economic prosperity for the Maritimes. Again, the premise for Maritime Union of the proposed Novacadia Independence Party is diametrically opposed to that of the Atlantica Party’s position. Due to the social and economic consequences inherent in the approaching era of Peak Oil, it is imperative to prepare the public for a drastic economic downturn. The extent of the economic depression that is foreseen by some Peak Oil advocates will make the Dirty Thirties seem like a stroll through the park. It will be a depression brought about by the dictates of nature, as opposed to the bursting of a humanly-vain speculative bubble. It will not be a matter of merely "riding it out." The so-called "good times", i.e. the accumulation of petrochemical byproduct stuff, are about to end...and they're not coming back.

It is this latter economic meltdown that is one of the prime factors that will generate an implosion of social institutions, the institution of the large industrial nation state inclusive. Secessionism is thus the assumption of political responsibility to meet and address social hardships of unforeseen proportions. Secessionists do not will secession; they merely pluck it off the tree of history like an overripe fruit. The political challenge for North American secessionists is to steer through several decades of crisis and hurt in order to come out on the other side of this pending societal collapse and catharsis, somewhat bruised and battered, but coming out nonetheless. We owe it to ourselves to offer the public a vision of hope, if not directly for ourselves, then at least for our children's children's children.

Taken within the context of economic mandate, the Atlantica Party is identified by the public with the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) which is a strong supporter of the commercial designation of Atlantica. If this public perception is valid or not does not really matter. What matters is that it is held. As a result, along with the identity to AIMS itself there is the public perception that the Atlantica Party is a political front for an extreme right wing, corporatist agenda. The constant denial of Jonathan Dean, the Atlantica Party leader, that the party is not affiliated with AIMS hardly negates the fact that it is one of the first questions asked of him by both the public and the media.

Rightly or wrongly, the perception of affiliation exists. Again, rightly or wrongly, the perception of the Atlantica Party being a shill for AIMS straddles the party with a major liability before it is even out of the gate. Although the “marketing baggage” for the Atlantica Party at this stage is minimal, it can only increase rather than decrease. Of course, if the economic policies that are eventually created by the Atlantica Party lean markedly towards the neo-con, radical right, then the above concerns are all moot.

It is for these reasons that it was necessary to cut bait, i.e. distance and differentiate, from the Atlantica Party. We maintain an alliance for being champions of Maritime Union, although we are diametrically opposed on the historical rationale for being such. Now the regional secessionist initiative has been taken to the fore; it has been elevated to the political high ground. The secessionist imperative for Novacadia is now positioned for the public to clearly see, contemplate, and decide to support, or not. The ethical tactic of “no secrets” is much stronger than that of a “hidden agenda.”

No doubt, this splitting of a couple of political small fry that are not even registering on the radar will, in time, make for some interesting years on the Nova Scotia and Maritime political fringes. The Green Party should take notice that the Novacadia Independence Party and the Atlantica Party have every intent to become players. There is certainly nothing wrong with some good, old fashioned competition.

Personally, I am confident that, over time, support can be and will be weaned from both the Atlantica Party and the Greens. If I did not believe that the Novacadia Independence Party will come out on top after several years of ideological street fighting, then I would not have bothered putting this initiative into play. Beyond the fringe, however, the grass becomes somewhat thicker, more complicated and a much greater challenge.

Novacadia Independence Party, Draft Principles

Foster and encourage the principle that pending ecological degradation and attendant social crises as a consequence of depleted global oil reserves and global warming will engender drastic reformulation of social, economic and political institutions.

Recognize the social, economic and political consequences that will unfold during this century of depleted global oil reserves and global warming, and formulate policies accordingly.

Transfer the recognition of a legitimate economic and cultural designation comprising the Maritime provinces to a historically necessary political designation called Novacadia.

Return integrity, self-determination and a necessary pre-Confederation commonality-of-vision to the Novacadia bioregion.

Foster and encourage the eco-political principles of institutional decentralization and recognition of identifiable bioregions as self-governing political jurisdictions.

Support and promote the political notion of Maritime Union for the Atlantic provinces and regions consisting of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Gaspé Peninsula.

Foster, encourage and support the creation of provincial Novacadia parties in the Maritime provinces which will recognize and support the constitutional principles contained herein.

Support and promote a political affiliation, under the identity of Novacadia, of the Maritime provinces with the American New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, up to and including the right and necessity of secession from the Canadian and American nation states in order to create the Republic of Novacadia.

Support and promote ecological principles for bioregional stewardship.

Foster and encourage the principle that no individual or group shall initiate the use of force or fraud against any other or as a means of achieving political, economic or social goals.

Support the principle that the right to own private property is essential to the preservation of human liberty and integrity.

Support the principle that privileges, monopolies, and powers that certain private and public corporations have won from government threaten the health, prosperity, and liberty of the common weal and that such corporations have greatly compromised free enterprise and self-government by the people.