07 October 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

IS SEPARATISM GENETIC?

 

 

I believe in the system of karma and in rebirth, as a consequence of my karma. But, I do not have any right to make laws and policies on the basis of my personal karma to bind my juniors, including my children. As per my search, the current Canadian government includes two members who seem to carry Separatism genes. One is Mr Gary Anandasangaree and the other is Mr. Justin Trudeau.

 

There is everything right about separatism, provided one operates within that smaller circle only. On 21 March 2023, Mr Gary Anandasangaree is reported to have discussed Sri Lanka’s IMF package with Tamils:

 

On Parliament Hill, Liberal MP Gary Anandasangaree discusses the International Monetary Fund’s bailout program for Sri Lanka to help bolster the country’s struggling economy. He is joined by Ahrabi Rajkumar (advocacy lead for People for Equality and Relief in Sri Lanka), Madura Rasaratnam (associate professor of comparative politics at City, University of London), and Sri Thanabalasingam (an economist). – Youtube presentation dated 21 March 2023

 

Mr Gary Anandasangaree refers to Sri Lanka as the ‘rogue-state’ and expresses his expectation of political solution towards self-determination by of the people in  the North & East and independent economic trajectory by themselves.

 

To my mind, this is interference with the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. Mr Gary Anandasangaree was in the party that declared belief in Tamil Nation within Sri Lanka, through Vaddukoddai Resolution 1976

 

When given form outside Sri Lanka, it is in breach of the laws of sovereignty. Otherwise the issue ought to have been taken through official global structures.

 

Canada’s own separatism issue is presented by Wikipedia as follows:

 

‘Alberta separatism comprises a series of 20th- and 21st-century movements (both historic and current) advocating the secession of the province of Alberta from Canada, either by joining the United States, forming an independent nation or by creating a new union with one or more of Canada's western provinces.

Alberta was established as a province on September 1, 1905. Alberta separatism comes from the belief that many Albertans hold that they are culturally and economically distinct from the rest of Canada, particularly Central Canada and Eastern Canada, because of economic imbalances whereby Alberta is a net over-contributor to the system of equalization payments in Canada.

1970s: beginnings of modern separatist ideals

The modern ideal for a separate Alberta nation began in the 1970s, as a response to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s pursuit of bilingualism and Multiculturalism in Canada, and the National Energy Program. These programs were seen by many Albertans as an attack on oil resources; the promotion of Liberal "anti-Albertan" values were viewed as a negative influence by many Albertans.

 

Support for Albertan separatism has increased significantly with the Canadian federal election victory of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party on October 19, 2015. Trudeau, the son of Pierre Trudeau , became prime minister with a majority government, and re-inspired the Alberta separatist movement. 

 

The diplomatic conflict between Canada & India is centred around separatism. It is not surprising that Mr Justin Trudeau teamed up with  Sikh separatists. But like Gary he also changed the corpus. Gary shrunk his to Tamil Eelam which has no official body and Trudeau’s is Alberta. The two may eventually merge, but unless they have official position of Opposition in Canadian parliament they would cause structural damage to any democratic parliament they are part of.