Grievances along with the costs, benefits and processes of a transition seem to have dominated the secession debate. But what sort of Alberta do secessionists want, and think that we want? Two Alberta Prosperity Project documents, The Value of Freedom and The Foundation of Freedom, provide possible hints. Both deserve full, careful reading. Here are some significant elements.

The Value of Freedom gives a “business case” for separation, but has five pages on “immigration and deportation” and suggests rescreening all permanent residents and work permit holders admitted since 2015. It suggests ending property taxes, using frontage and acreage taxes (covering 50 per cent of property tax revenue), and a (possibly adjustable) “municipal residency fee.” Municipalities could not increase their own funding (it may contradict itself and the draft constitution on this) and would depend on subsidies partly intended to keep them “in their lane” (page 36) and give leverage over them. It suggests a possible end to income tax and only a corporate tax.

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