Northern independence group hosts meeting to measure local interest

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A group is measuring local interest in independence in northeast B.C. with community meetings and presentations. 

A local separatist group has been holding information meetings in recent years, and a recall petition was launched by a member of the group in 2023 against then-Peace River North MLA Dan Davies. 

The petition called for Davies to be removed from the legislature and to step down as MLA. 

At a meeting on July 3rd attended by around 40 to 50 people, the host – who introduced himself only as Wayne – explained the meeting was intended to gauge if there was enough local interest to “push forward their independence.” 

In literature passed out during the meeting, the group claims “deep research has unearthed key events” related to the “truth of the myth that is Canada.” 

These ‘events’ are related to the British North America Act in 1867, the Interpretation Act of 1889, the Statute of Westminster of 1931, the Canada Act – or Constitution Act – of 1982 and more. 

The speaker claimed that because of the Statute of Westminster, any governments formed in Canada after 1931 were “illegitimate.” Energeticcity.ca has not seen evidence of these claims in independent research.

The Canadian government says the Statute of Westminster was ratified by British parliament, granting its former colonies full legal autonomy except where the ‘dominions’ chose not to take advantage of it. It says Canada chose not to because it had reservations about the change, with questions asked about who would have the power to amend Canada’s constitutional acts – the federal government, the provinces or both?

In 1982, after federal-provincial negotiations and at the request of Canada, the power to amend the constitution was “repatriated” to Canada, it says.

“The proper constitution has to be built by the people for the people, not the government to the people,” Wayne told the meeting. 

“The whole idea of the constitution is to protect the individuals from the government, not the government from the individuals, and that’s exactly what we have today with our constitution.”

The organizers of the meeting declined to answer questions from the audience or to detail what independence would look like, including if that would be from Canada or B.C.

The group will be hosting a meeting on July 19th at 2:30 p.m. in the Cecil Lake Community Hall, which will feature more presentations.