Statement made on 09 December 2010 by Senator Terry Mercer
Hon. Terry M. Mercer:
Honourable senators, I am embarrassed for Albertans from all across the province, but I am particularly embarrassed for Albertans from Northern Alberta. We can only take the Stampeders versus Eskimos and Flames versus Oilers so far, but the Prime Minister has taken it to a new level, where a bid has been made for Expo 2017, the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Confederation of this country. He has stooped to petty politics to punish northern Albertans, to punish the people of the city of Edmonton because they have not consistently been loyal to him or to his party or to predecessor parties.
If you drive into Edmonton you will see a huge sign that says "Edmonton, the City of Champions." It has been the city of champions — the Eskimos, the Oilers, et cetera. They have put in such an effort. This is a community that has come together to propose this bid for Expo 2017.
Everyone in this room is old enough to remember and many of us lived the experience of Expo 67. Many of us got on trains, buses, cars and planes and went to Montreal to experience the wonderful euphoria of Expo 67. People from all across this country went to Montreal to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the Confederation of this country. It was a celebration for all Canadians. It happened in Montreal but everyone across the country celebrated.
Honourable senators, this is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate our one hundred and fiftieth birthday and to celebrate it in Edmonton, a wonderful city. It bothers me that this Prime Minister and this government have ignored Northern Alberta.
Quite frankly, from a political point of view, I know what I will tell people across the country during the next campaign: Do not bother voting Conservative because you do not get anything anyway. The people in Edmonton all voted Conservative, all but one seat that voted New Democrat, and they are treated this way. Twenty-seven out of twenty-eight seats are Conservative and they do this to Albertans. Shame on them. Albertans deserve better.
Where is our good friend Senator Bert Brown? Has he been defending the bid for Expo 2017? He was "elected" by the people of Alberta to represent them here in this chamber. So much for the elected senator from Alberta. I do not see him up defending the good people of Edmonton in their bid for Expo 2017.
Honourable senators, Albertans are Canadians. Northern Albertans are Canadians. People in the city of Edmonton are Canadians. We need, as Canadians, to stand with them and to say that we think that the bid for Expo 2017 is a good idea. This government should get onside, and they should respect and support the good people of northern Alberta.
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