Pet Theory

The Current had a piece on today about moving the capital to Calgary because the West is dominated by the CP and the East is dominated by the Bloc and the Liberals. The thinking is that a national capital in Calgary will somehow soothe feelings of Western Alienation. Sure, kids. The capital will be out West but only population numbers will still matter in Parliament. Symbolically the West will be important, while politically it will continue to take a back seat to Ontario and Québec. Frankly, I think that Canada needs a new Senate. Not the current appointed, rubber-stamping, absolutely meaningless Senate, but something more like the US Senate. There are problems with the American political system but I think that American bicameralism is pure genius. Then, the West wouldn't feel so cheated out of everything because it would have the same number of representatives (in the general sense) as Ontario and Québec. The country could then move on and find something else about which to complain, which would be nice. I'm from the West, I understand Western Alienation, but geesuz people, solve the frickin' problem and move on. This is getting old.