Brookman: Biggest risk in October referendum is not casting a vote

Officials are warning of long lineups at polling stations for the October referendum in Alberta. PHOTO BY DAVID BLOOM /Postmedia Network GTVO. Those four letters stand for “get the vote out,” and my plea is for everyone to request mail-in ballots and ensure you send them in before the October referendum. None of this Alberta separation discussion actually makes sense to me, and none of the leaders of that movement or the arguments they put forth inspire any reality. When confronted by one woman who wanted to argue for Alberta separation, I asked: “Do you want to show a passport to drive to the Okanagan?” She looked at me like I had three heads, and said: “That would never happen,” which immediately reminds us of the people who voted for Brexit and now wish they had never heard the word. Yes, you can be a proud Albertan and a proud Canadian. This whole discussion seems nonsensical, but there is always a danger with events like this — that the people who are fanatics will stand in line for hours to get their vote in, while the people who cannot believe it would ever happen will throw up their hands and walk away if voting takes too long. There are 10 ballots to fill out and there are some questions that need some thought. That means slow processes at the polls, which does not bode well for the logical and rational folks who want Alberta to remain part of the greatest nation the world has ever known — Canada. The government has provided an easy solution to all of this. You can order advance ballots, fill them out in the comfort of your own home and mail it in. It needs to be done before Sept. 15 — but it is critical. There is a concern that some will vote to separate, not because it makes any economic sense but because they are angry at Ottawa and the lost decade that we have just gone through. There are many good reasons to be upset about the way Alberta has been treated by the federal government, but that was then and this is now. Albertans continue to enjoy the benefits of our resources, and it appears that we have governments in Edmonton and Ottawa that are prepared to work together and maximize the benefits of that natural opportunity. Read More Separation would bring costly supply chain 'friction' to businesses, warns Trimac chairman Alberta grievances are real, but separation isn't the answer: Canada West Foundation report We also have a clear adversary in the United States, and this is not the time to be a house divided when we are under…