The absurdity of the Alberta First rally

Protests and rallies have never mixed well with conservatives, until the last few years. Edmonton saw something very different from the norm at the end of last month. On October 26, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the Alberta First group held a rally in front of the Alberta Legislature building. The group foremostly believes in separating from Canada. So, why are they rallying for such an absurd set of beliefs? Because they feel left out.

Traditionally, but not always, it is progressives, Liberals, and left-leaning individuals who are protesting and rallying. They are the ones who want to see real change and are willing to make it happen. On the other side, conservatives are traditionally hoping to keep things as they are. They don’t want to interfere with others; they just want to keep to themselves and work hard. The use of the internet and television has become a clear player, though, in more recent years. News channels and internet content creators are showing more protests and rallies whenever they can. So now the conservatives are seeing these protests and rallies everywhere. And now they feel they have to join the party.

This brings us back to the Alberta First group and their rally. Their beliefs and values are almost so ridiculous that it makes me wonder if any of them truly believe Alberta could split from Canada. The biggest problem is that Alberta is a part of treaty territory. Alongside that, there are a million other reasons why separation wouldn’t work. Such as having to create new money, new passports, a new military, trade agreements, and more. With this, it makes me wonder why they even rallied to begin with — if everything is so impossible. It’s because otherwise, their voice will be lost.

In many ways, this article is doing exactly what they want — making their concerns heard and keeping their ideas alive. Bringing these ideas up, though, in this article feels almost redundant. Simply because of how far gone the ideas and beliefs are. The point of talking about the Alberta First group is to mention how much more common it is to see conservative protests now. But I doubt it will remain like this for very long. 

The Alberta First group’s rally is the kind of conservative-driven set of beliefs that is about to peak within the next couple of years. As I have been pointing out, conservative protests have become more common. Starting with the Freedom Convoy during the pandemic, and pushed further once Mark Carney was elected Prime Minister. While I am sure there are many other factors, these are the main ones that brought the conservatives to the front lines. This includes the Alberta First group. But I doubt it will remain that way for very long, with musings a general strike in Alberta. 

Since the United Conservative Party (UCP) and, more specifically, Premier Danielle Smith, have used the notwithstanding clause against the teachers, there has been a lot of pushback. Students walked out of classrooms, and other unions within Alberta are weighing whether they should join together to plan a general strike. The use of the notwithstanding clause has made a lot of people question Smith and her party. And for good reason. People everywhere in Alberta are realizing that their hard work should mean more than it does currently.

With all of going on, it’s no surprise right-wing groups are desperate to make their voices heard. So while right-wing ideologies are beginning to peak, they likely won’t remain that way for long. 

Protests and rallies of both sides will always have a place and time. But the recent conservative-led protests likely won’t be here for long. Right now many of their protests are just about concerns being heard. Not so much about the substance or feasibility of their ideas. It won’t always be that way though. If conservatives decide to change, I believe it will be slow but very prevalent over the coming years.