Move Over Ottawa for the New "Western Capital" CALGARY

[StoneMtn]

A wild idea to shift power from Ottawa to the West by creating a co-capital city

By Roy MacGregor

Friday, October 1, 2004

Page A2

The Globe and Mail

He calls it "thinking outside the box." Others will say it should be boxed up and buried in his backyard before some fool in government starts running with it.

Ray Argyle's idea is, to put it mildly, pretty wild. A House of Commons on the banks of the Bow River. A Senate sitting in a city where people expect senators to be fully accountable.

The governor-general in residence half the year, perhaps on Rideau Ranch. A new National Capital Commission West that would promote the sort of parks and museums and galleries that Ottawa has so long enjoyed. The wholesale transfer of key federal departments -- Agriculture, Energy, Indian Affairs, perhaps even Immigration -- to the West. An end, forever, to the strains of western alienation, and a full stop to any future fears of western separation.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

[PassedOutGuy]

Completely rediculous if you ask me...of course it would be great for the economy in Calgary which is indeed a beautiful city... Now i may be wrong on this but are there even any other countries in the entire world with co- capital cities?

"The next great step in Canadian nation-building now awaits us: the shifting of power out of Ottawa and into the West by designating a western city as a co-capital of Canada, equal to the old capital in responsibility and authority."

Psst Washington, were just gonna move some of your power out to Sacremento... probably the Department of Defense... what do you think about that?

Edited May 11, 2005 by Guest

[Blane]

are there even any other countries in the entire world with co- capital cities?

Yeah, Bolivia has 3 capitals (Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and La Paz). Probably others as well.

Stupid idea anyhow. If I had to move out to calgary to work for the government, I think I just wouldn't work for the government. Simple as that.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I would rather have our tax dollars spent on other things - national daycare, education and affordable housing etc.

[color:purple] Ya pinko commie tree-hugger. The future belongs to people that can pay (lots!) for it. Didn't you read Herbert Spencer? The poor? Need a good war or pestilence to thin out their ranks.

[SaggyBalls]

maybe there could be SOMETHING to this...take it and shift it just a bit...like maybe just moving the senate out west. give the east something too.

why not? if we could boost some economy with non-war measures i think it'd be a good thing.