On Sunday, I walked into a hair salon in Langdon, Alberta to put my signature onto the petition that, if successful, will lead to the referendum asking this: Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be part of Canada to become an independent state?

The lineup was just a couple ahead of us, and another couple was talking with the owner/operator and it sounded like they stuck around for a visit after they signed. The dog came to sniff me, and it didn’t growl to signify a threat compared to what I imagine quite a few fellow Albertans would consider the act to be as my information was taken and I signed.

It was all rather simple in the process of it all. I wouldn’t say the thought process that led me me signing was, though. While the total number of signors to the petition that began on January 2nd won’t actually be released or known until May 2, I’m also aware that I’d be in minority of the reasoning for doing so.

I want Albertans to participate in the direct democratic process of voting for a referendum on this important issue- that’s all I want this to represent. And now that I put my John Hancock on such a wish, I’ll spend the rest of the year until voting day to decide whether to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

Across the province there are tables set up with volunteers that will let Albertans sign up for the petition and I expect to see more as volunteers work through the process of becoming a canvasser (makes sense for the validation of the petition’s numbers and chain-of-custody) and ensuring distance will no longer be a major hurdle for those interested. There’s also the combination of town hall events with advocates of the separation movement, and operators are standing by! Queues stretching blocks is likely evidence of early-adopter inertia or wanting to participate in the spectacle side of things. As someone who doesn’t know how he’ll vote, I’m glad I didn’t have to freeze my butt off queuing for a couple of hours. I suppose I’ll get that chance if October (the month it’s reckoned a successful referendum will be held) is unusually chilly.

This isn’t a petition to take flippantly; it is much more important than you clicking a link to change.org and offering your support to help save the barrel-chested macaws on a peninsula off of Costa Rica. I know once all these signatures are tabulated it will be a pre-vote barometer of the independence movement and thus be spun into the narratives that suit its advocates and detractors alike.

The citizen led petition needs 10% of 2023’s elections total votes cast, reckoned to be 177 732 total signatures. Of course the actual goal of the movement is to submit the petition with multitudes more and I think that’s entirely possible. Seeing as the actual vote on the referendum will need more than 50%, it had better for any wind to stay in its sails.

The more important question, to me, is 50% of what? Will it be 50% of the 60.5% of eligible voters that participated in 2023’s provincial election? Heaven forfend it be closer to municipal participation! If it isn’t 85% or above, independent or not, something is forever lost to us as Albertans and Canadians. That apathy is catastrophic.

If that 85 per cent plus do get to the voting booth, what will their vote be? Will they cast with emotion, zealotry, bad faith or grievances- or thoughtful pragmatism? It will take a recognition of something so important it cannot be reflected on if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. And that the majority of votes cast were made of those aware of Albertan and Canada’s history, while predicting Alberta’s and Canada’s future without the Wild Rose. Your vote will change the world, so be serious! The reason for seeking independence wasn’t created in a vacuum; there are serious problems going on that necessitated this. And if they are intractable problems with Canada as a confederation there luckily is an opportunity for the people to speak to it, to find its solution in a breakup letter of epic proportions.

Conversely, it can’t be a bunch of grumps that cynically use a groundswell of discontent who found the big red button and are threatening to hit it at any opportunity they feel personally aggrieved. This ought to be thoughtful than Quebec in 1987. Meech Lake was not d’accord and it can’t be cynically used for concessions for a better deal in confederation.

Beware of the pitches: the independent state of Alberta cannot and will never be a Utopia once unburdened of the shackles of federal Liberal party rapaciousness of the vassal-state of Alberta and anyone trying to sell the movement that way is a huckster. However, it also can’t be about denying that the federal government’s top-down approach to governance that seriously crosses the line into provincial jurisdictions, the runaway train that is our nation’s annual deficits and growing debt, net zero hooey and the low-trust society we’ve eroded into are not just concerns to some ‘fringe’ citizens and has huge ramifications to our collective future.

There are major problems and there is a solution to it. I do not know what it is, but any good solution eventually requires Herculean efforts, clarity of purpose and unity (as best as we can get with that) to all pull together and do the work that’s needed. But it all starts with knowledge. The internet is full of info, social media is always available to fill one’s need for outrage and scapegoats (please don’t vote solely on social media ‘information’) and the newspapers of those interested in wanting to be the source of essays like this and your responses. Major decisions need information, and with people who’ve communicated beforehand, thought of the greater good, and cast their vote in good-faith. Any discussion being had up to October will represent the fact that a lot of people are taking this decision seriously, and they must. And Small Town Square is one of those venues; think of it as a place to make your pitches, for and against.

Voting yes or no becomes secondary to the intent of the people showing up and discussing this, as whatever the case may be there will be problems to be solved (those don’t go away in a vote), and we’ll all be more willing to work together in whatever system will be there after the result. Each vote will represent the work and thought that went into whichever box you tick, and it will be a closer reflection that whatever government (an independent one or a sovereign Alberta within a unified Canada) is a reflection of its people and that we are more connected with purpose than if this decision was never offered to us.

Hi everyone, I'm going to be delivering the fourth edition of Small Town Square today and tomorrow. To give those old "paperboy" vibes I was considering tossing the papers in the way of active sprinklers and onto roofs, but I do hope I'm finding good spots for delivery if I'm leaving it by your door.

I'll share some more photos of Bassano Grad and the Small Town Smoke Down in another post, but I sure enjoyed both events. If you were able to make them, I'm sure you did too.

As noted in the paper, I had the idea of running two essays- one on the side of Modern Monetary Theory and one opposed. In the paper was the one that didn't see in a great light, and here I linking the one in the pro-camp. Have a gander!

What is modern monetary theory? An economist explains how it could help Canada

What is modern monetary theory? An economist explains how it could help Canada

A heterodox school of economic thought known as modern monetary theory has significant implications for how Canadians understand public debt and deficit spending.

The ConversationMohsen Javdani

As always, thank you for your support. I know you are sharing the news, that, well, there's a newspaper in town and I thank you for that. Keep 'er going! 😄

Mike Maguire, paperboy

Hello to you all! The second edition of Small Town Square is out and I've been delivering to subscribers. Next step is hopefully having it for sale at a few places around town. I've been learning a lot, and where there has been the most bit of bother is for those that have looked at the website on their phones. The most prominent button says subscribe, but unfortunately that doesn't get you to subscribing to the paper version, but to this online newsletter! That is because I am using a content-management tool that assumes online is the way to go, because it's 2025!

If you would like to subscribe to the paper, please visit smalltownsquare.com/subscribe or click here

If you would like to get a hold of me please email mike@smalltownsquare.com or call me at 403-641-3077

Apologies for the confusion! Thank you to everyone that has subscribed so far, I really appreciate the support!

I'm always interested in more things happening around town, so please let me know if you know something.

If anyone wants a conversation and a cuppa, I'll be at the Crown and Crow, May 6th at 2pm for the first Town Square Tuesday.

Cheers, Mike

Hi everyone, I get to finally say I sent it to the printers and I've got 500 of 'em. Please get in touch if you'd like a copy or two or a dozen. I am in Lethbridge until Wednesday night but there are some here at the house.

Thanks everyone, knowing there was an appetite for the printed paper was a driving force. I really appreciate it!

Mike

Just a note. There is a button on the top right to subscribe to this online version of Small Town Square, and that will get you the newsletter emailed. If you want a paper subscription (which I hope you do!) Then the click on "Subscribe (for paper sub)" or right here

Marlene died peacefully February 6^th with her children beside her at home. Born in Victoria to Chuck and Frieda Syrett, her and her older sister Lorna were raised there and in Burnaby. She made her way to Alberta in 1974 whereupon she would meet Brian Maguire, marry (1975) and have both Kelly (1976) and Michael (1981), residing in Bassano for most of her life. Unofficially the boss of the RCMP detachment, she kept things in order and the Mounties in line there until retirement in 2011.

Involved in numerous community organizations, volunteer and school events, she gained friends everywhere she went with her positive attitude, her wicked sense of humour and zest for life. She was hardworking, fiercely independent and loved her children with every ounce of her being. She had many artistic talents, from decorating her home to putting together the best outfit from Value Village. Her expertise with gold spraypaint remains unparalleled!

In 2021, a move to Strathmore added to her coteries of friends and where she resided until her passing.

Wine, golf, travelling (especially to her well-appointed holiday trailer in Yuma, AZ) and entertaining provided countless memories for her and her friends, which will surely be recounted at a celebration of her life, occurring on April 5^th. Doors open at 2pm with a small program beginning at 3pm.

Donations in her memory can be sent in support of the Bassano & District Health Foundation (and choosing Long Term Care, Palliative Care or Greatest Need) where our grandpa, Boppee, received such great care. Mom also suggested the Salvation Army.

A sensibly priced glass of red wine can be raised in her honour, at anytime.

You’ll be missed, mumsy.

I hope others got the chance to try and photograph the wonderful show we got on Thursday. You sure could see the dancing, but the colours to the naked eye were quite muted. These photos are four second exposures, and so I made sure to have the camera on a tripod. It is so lovely to just go outside the house and not deal with so much light pollution!

Happy National Newspaper Week!

That might be 'news' to you, as it was to me. It's just some serendipitous timing that I am finally able to get some updates about the paper out there and reflect on the importance of a free press in Canada.

First off, I really appreciate the feedback I received from the survey. Basically, everyone said yes to wanting a printed newspaper for Bassano and area (all but one said yes, and that was a maybe). I've been in discussion with a printer and with the cost of that, it all seems viable.

So it's going to happen! The question now is when.

Life can sometimes be difficult and get in the way of one's best intentions. As most of you know, my mother's health became a priority which has postponed a lot of this paper-making business. I'm so happy that she is doing exceptionally well and I can turn my attention back to this. The whole moving from Lethbridge to Bassano was another pretty important step, too!

So here's my tentative roadmap. I would like to have a newspaper out on November 1st. I believe Fridays will be a good delivery day with Wednesday afternoon being "print in Lethbridge" day and Thursday "figuring out how to get 500 copies from Lethbridge to Bassano" day.

 This is the plan on how I'm going to start composing the papers, hopefully finding a balance on costs with a (hopefully) growing number of subscriptions.

Feedback from the survey showed a subscriber-funded model (rather than advertising-funded) was thought of favourably. That's great! I was really hoping for that. I'll be pricing the paper the same each issue, meaning it won't go up when it's 12 pages or with colour. I have an idea of a cost that seems to cover most of the cost concerns and I don't expect any large price increases except in any cases which are out of my control (paper costs as an example). There will be advertising in the paper, mind, just never to the point where it reaches >50% of a paper's content.

The other thing to consider is that there will be a difference in price depending on if it's going to a local Post Office box or delivery out of town. I'll create another post with all of the costs laid out simply, so you know what I'll charge when you decide to subscribe.

So October will be introducing myself to various people and places and focussing on gaining subscriptions. I know some will support it because a printed paper fulfills an important role in a small town, while others will have to see the finished product to deem it worthy of support. I'm excited to see what I will create, knowing full well I best not let you down. The first few issues will most likely be full of kinks, errors and experiments I will abandon. I'll be testing out a few design aesthetics and eventually land on one I like. I'll gain confidence through repetition and feedback. I guess that's all to say I hope you enjoy this journey as I take Small Town Square from square one to wherever it is that we end up together!

Thank you,

Mike Maguire