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Western Independence Party

The Western Independence Party is a Canadian political party that advocates the separation from Canada of the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to form a new country.

The party was founded in 1987 by a group of Albertans who were dissatisfied with the direction of another western separatist party, the Western Canada Concept (WCC). At the party's founding convention in October 1987 in Edmonton, Dr, Fred Marshall was elected interim leader. Marshall had previously run unsuccessfully for the leadership of the WCC in 1984.

The party also has or had provincial branches in each of the four provinces. The current status of the party's Alberta and Manitoba branches is unknown.

WIP of British Columbia

The British Columbia provincial party called the Western Independence Party of BC (WIPBC) was not a branch of WIP. WIPBC has renamed itself the Refederation Party of BC (RefedBC) and now promotes political changes within Canada as its preference, with western independence being an option only if its campaign for political change is unsuccessful.

RefedBC has drafted the text of a Constitution of BC and the text of a BC Direct Democracy Act based on the Swiss model, both aimed at creating what it describes as a de jure (lawful) BC government. The party claims that Canada's central government and the Supreme Court of Canada are both "de facto" (unlawful), arguing that Canada has no lawful constitution (the Constitution Act of 1982 not qualifying as such), and thus that its government, as presently constituted is illegal.

External link: [http:/www.refedbc.com Refederation Party of BC website]

Source: Dennis Shaw, president, Refederation Party of BC, dshaw@telus.net

WIP of Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan branch of the party nominated 17 candidates in the 2003 provincial election, but none were elected. It continues to be an active party under the leadership of Bruce Ritter of Yorkton, but does not intend to nominate candidates in federal elections.

Party program

Party policy was adopted at the founding convention and was expanded at a policy convention in Saskatoon in April 1988.

The party's basic policy statements were the following:

1. independence as the only way Westerners could get political and economic justice;
2. the constitutional right to private property;
3. the citizen's right to referendum on major issues including the constitution and constitutional amendments;
4. English as the official language; and
5. an elected, equal and effective Senate.

WIP of Saskatchewan's Vision of an Independent Western Canada

1. A prosperous low tax economy.
2. Direct democracy.
3. Separation of executive powers to end Prime Ministerial dictatorship.
4. An elected accountable judiciary.
5. Equality of treatment and opportunity for all people.
6. An elected senate balancing popular representation with regional representation.
7. English as the official language.
8. A world class medical system.
9. A justice system that stresses accountability.
10. No gun registry.
11. No Kyoto Accord.
12. Property rights guaranteed in the constitution.

See also

• List of Canadian political parties
• Secessionist movements of Canada
• Western Independence Party of Manitoba