B.C. calls for unity as western alienation sentiments surge

It didn't take long for #wexit, or "western exit," to start trending asMonday night's election results trickled in from east to west.

Sending Justin Trudeau back to Ottawa as prime minister sent many Albertanstrying to run for the exits withrenewed separatist sentiments.

But it's a conversationmany British Columbians don't want any part ofincluding B.C.'s deputy premier.

"I certainly don't think anyone in British Columbia wants to see any kind of separation of Canada," Carole James said Wednesday. "We're proud British Columbians and we're proud Canadians."

Her comments followa post-election social media debate aboutwhere Canada's westernmost province fits in with the notion of western alienation.

Many were quick to argueB.C. should notbe lumped in with the Prairies when it comes to separatist sentiments, sparking a call for unity from the provincial government.

"We're a vast province that's very diverse and we've managed to come together on a whole number of areas that we agree on, so I think we can do that across our country as well," James told CBC.

More nuanced than 'west vs. east'

The political dividewithin B.C. highlights a much more nuanceddynamic than simply "west vs. east."

Coastal urbancentres aside,much of B.C. remains Conservativein the wake of this week's election and many of those rural voters feel Alberta's frustrations.

"The pipeline is a classic example," said Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone."It'san issue that is very, very important to people inthe Interior and the north of British Columbia."

He pointed toan increasing sense of discord between voters in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island compared to those in the eastern half ofB.C.

"I think there has always beenand probably always will be a deeply-rooted sense of wanting to be a bigger part of the federation.We want to make sureour voices are heard."

While Stone's constituents, like many others across B.C., feel ignored by Ottawa, he saidthey're notalienated to the point of lobbying to leave.

"Do people want their fair share offederal attention and federal resources? Absolutely. But I don't often hear thatextendedto a place of wanting to take our province out of this country."

B.C. playing peacemaker

B.C.has had tensions with Alberta for years. Despite both governing as NDP premiers, John Horgan and Rachel Notleyoften disagreed on major issues. And Alberta's new United Conservative Party Premier, Jason Kenney, has made it clear he's ready and willing to escalate thatfight evenfurther.

"So the challenge is how to manage a relationship with asense of grievance that's coming from the top in a placelike Alberta," said UBCpolitical scientist Gerald Baier.

He said it would make sense forB.C. to try to playprovincial-federalpeacemaker in the name of national unity.

Horgan was arguably JustinTrudeau's main ally of all the premiers heading into the election and Horganshould exploit that after the election too, said Baier.

"Trudeau won't have an easy time ahead with the other premiers, so having an ally in John Horgancan be useful to him if he has someone who can talkto the others premiers that could play to B.C.'s favour."