Calgary business community is souring on separatism

A poll by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce shows half of businesses in the city would leave if Alberta were to separate from Canada.

Polling done for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce shows nearly half of its members would consider leaving the province if Alberta decided to leave Canada.

Forty-eight per cent of respondents said they are very or somewhat likely to relocate if the separation process moves forward, while 39 per cent said they are unlikely to do so. Thirteen per cent are unsure.

“I actually looked at that number and my eyebrows went up and I thought, ‘That is a significant number and that would be devastating for Calgary,’” said Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the chamber.

Other numbers show 80 per cent of members say talk of separation is having a negative effect on the economy, and 19 per cent of respondents say they would cut expansion plans.

Alberta’s potential secession from Canada has Vice President of Policy and External Affairs for the Calgary Chamber, Ruhee Ismail-Teja, concerned.

Alberta is the most trade exposed jurisdiction in Canada, said Ismail-Teja.

“When we look more long term at what the impacts of separation could potentially be, looking at a $62 billion decrease in the size of Alberta’s economy.”

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Economist Trevor Tombe at the University of Calgary also warns of a six per cent GDP per-capita drop, with 175,000 jobs potentially lost.

According to Tombe’s findings, one in three jobs in the province are exposed to trade within Canada and abroad.

“About 900,000 people work in sectors that are dependent on exports, either to other provinces or internationally,” said Tombe.

Let Alberta Decide, the group behind the separatist movement in Alberta say the findings focus on fear, and not reality, dismissing Brexit comparisons and adding an independent Alberta would be able to negotiate with countries like the U.S.

Tombe says the costs will be much higher in for Alberta, relative to the United Kingdom.

“The UK was its own country already. It had its own institutions. It had its own currency,” Tombe said.

Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour, strikes a harsher tone when discussing the separation issue.

“When you’ve got the business community and the worker and labour community speaking in one voice about the insanity of this idea of separating from the country, I think that that should be a wake-up call for the premier.” said McGown. “She should take this damn question off this ridiculous referendum.”

As for Ismail-Teja, she understands the challenges from Alberta businesses have gone through from a regulatory perspective, but states the importance of remaining in Canada.

“Alberta is incredibly important to the Canadian economy and vice versa, and both Alberta and Canada stand to benefit a lot from each other.”

With files from The Canadian Press