I read an interesting poll in the newspaper some time ago. It said that over 1/3rd of Western Canadians thought that the West should start investigating more seriously the thought of a sovereign Western Canada. While I take this poll (as with every poll) with a grain of salt, the poll caused me to think about why we in Western Canada tend to get the “short end of the stick” in our dealings with the rest of Canada.

Take for example the idea of a Saskatchewan energy accord (worth $800 million/year to Saskatchewan). All three provincial parties support the idea. The deal Saskatchewan wants is only the same deal as Nova Scotia and Newfoundland got not some special arrangement. Yet Saskatchewan (and BC - the other province being short-changed) doesn’t receive any attention from the national press. We’re not considered important, to either the “National Media” or the federal government.

Or consider the Senate. If the current Senate was elected Quebec would receive 24 senators. The four Western provinces, which not only are four distinct provinces, but also have two million more people than Quebec, would only receive 24 senate slots as well. What is fair about that?

In the last year that I’ve been in Ottawa I’ve seen more and more instances, where eastern Canada just doesn’t get. The east seems to think that Western Canada exists only to pay the bills. And while it is usually the federal government that tends to have this attitude, I have run into it in my own party as well. We in Saskatchewan and the rest of the West don’t deserve to be treated like second class citizens.

I’m beginning to believe that standing up for Saskatchewan is not only my most important job in Ottawa; it may also be the hardest.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament, and I welcome your feedback. Write or call my offices.