A member of the prominent Alberta Prosperity Project, a pro-separation group, has stepped down following the use of a racial slur during an event where a draft constitution for an independent Alberta was presented. The event showcased the Black Hat Gang from Medicine Hat, who contributed to the document named the “Foundation of Freedom.” Ian Parkinson, one of the group members, made the derogatory remark, prompting his immediate resignation from the Alberta Prosperity Project.
The group’s leader, Mitch Sylvestre, expressed disappointment over Parkinson’s comments and emphasized that the Alberta Prosperity Project does not support such behavior. Despite Parkinson’s association with the Black Hat Gang, he was not an official member of the Alberta Prosperity Project.
Criticism arose within the separatist community, with Keith Wilson of Let Alberta Decide denouncing Parkinson’s remarks as damaging to the movement’s reputation. The draft constitution, titled the “Foundation of Freedom,” proposed unique governmental structures, including an oversight branch and the election of judges in a potential independent Alberta.
The document faced backlash from various separatist leaders, pointing out its perceived flaws. While the proposal was not publicly available online, it sparked debate within the separatist camp, highlighting a lack of consensus on the path to Alberta’s potential independence.
Sylvestre clarified that the presented draft constitution was a starting point for discussions and that further deliberations would be necessary before any binding referendum on separation. The lack of unity among separatist groups was evident, with differing opinions on the proposed constitution and the overall process of Alberta’s potential secession from Canada.
Jared Wesley, a political science professor at the University of Alberta, noted the ongoing disunity within the independence movement as Albertans prepare to vote in the upcoming elections on October 19.