Jim Dinning and Travis Toews are two of the best-known and longest-serving conservative finance ministers in Alberta in recent decades.

They’re also signatories to a new initiative — named Lead, Not Leave — that aims to keep a strong Alberta within Canada.

Varcoe: 'Canada is not a lost cause' — Former Alberta finance ministers say don't hold separation referendum Back to video

The group’s founding letter, issued this week, calls on the Alberta government to “not hold a referendum on separation and instead focus on making the case for Alberta in Canada with a credible set of policy proposals.”

Those ideas would include policies within the energy memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney in November.

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“I’m worried that if we don’t fix the processes or the policies that stand in the way of economic growth, then Canada’s Maple Leaf flag will be pretty tattered and torn, sooner rather than later,” Dinning said in an interview this week.

“While we do as a province have some very legitimate grievances with Ottawa . . . I believe that independence is not a viable option and not a credible solution, but that our best future is to remain within Canada,” added Toews.

Toews served as Alberta’s finance minister from 2019 until 2023, and ran for the UCP leadership in 2022, finishing second to Smith.

Three years ago, he introduced........

© Calgary Herald