INNISFAIL – Jeevan Mangat is a semi-retired Calgary businessman who has chosen the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake riding in a long march towards Alberta independence.
So why Innisfail to begin his quest for Alberta separation from Canada?
“They have a great golf course,” said Mangat with a chuckle.
But make no mistake about it. Mangat is completely serious about his political mission in the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake riding.
He is the official candidate for the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta.
Born in Kenya just over 65 years ago he has been living in Canada for the past 52 years and currently resides in Calgary.
Mangat is retired from the commercial property management field but still works as a commercial leasing agent.
A proud Albertan, Mangat said he is a “firsthand witness” to the damage caused by the federal Liberal Party “over and over and over.
“We’ll never be able to absolve it until we start an independence movement or until we wake up to what the liberals say. Staying with the status quo changes nothing,” said Mangat, adding his own process towards independence has been getting stronger over the past 20 years. “I've witnessed the devastation.”
He said the wounds remain deep from the days of the National Energy Program from the 1980s, with nothing changing in the 1990s under Jean Chrétien, nor today with Justin Trudeau.
“There’s nothing prime about him (Trudeau) and there’s nothing ministerial about him,” said Mangat. “After Justin leaves there could be another illogical Liberal leader come in and trying to destroy Alberta.”
And he adds there is little or no hope for Alberta’s future prosperity with the federal Conservatives in charge.
“The power lies in central Canada. During the years of Stephen Harper not much changed,” said Mangat.
As far as timelines go Mangat said the quest for independence is a long-term plan.
He notes his party is running only two candidates in the 2023 Alberta election; himself in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake and Mike Lorusso in the riding of Highwood.
“And why is that? We want to have strong candidates,” said Mangat. “We want to target ridings where our movement is strong. We are rebuilding the party, and we do it one small step at a time.
“Our plan is to rebuild the party, even if we don't win any seats,” he added. “But if we grow the percentages that will give us an opportunity to start to form new constituency associations in other ridings.”
Mangat said if his party ever gets elected to govern it could take as long as 10 to 12 years to hold a referendum for independence.
“The citizens of Alberta will have the right to vote yes or no for the sovereignty of Alberta,” he said. “For me there's no other way except to strive for independence.”
