What part of Canada has had a strong separatist movement in recent years?

Answer 1

No area or member of Confederation has had a strong separatist movement in recent years. In the late 20th century Quebec had the most active movement, to the extent of holding a general vote on independence.

New Brunswick recently pointed out to the Canadian Supreme Court that Confederation has been harmful to them, resulting in loss of major ports and loss of income to a seaway they helped pay to construct. They also claimed the people did not receive the promised vote asking if they wanted to join Confederation. Judging by provincial elections at the time most people likely did not want to join which is, some suggest, why such a vote did not occur. Yet there is no major movement there at this time.

Newfoundland and Labrador have many people questioning the benefit of being Canadian. Even before exploiting their oil wealth they had many years in which they paid more into Confederation than they received in compensation and many claim membership has been very damaging to their primary fishing industry. Some blame Ottawa for the collapse of key fisheries, attacks on their culture and colonial treatment in provincial disputes. Again no major movement there at this time but there is more pressure there than from New Brunswick.

Other Eastern Provinces gain so much that provinces like PEI have almost no separatist movements.

Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have a unique history with Confederation. While most of the area seen on a map of Canada was acquired by purchase, transfer or force the Prairie Provinces felt Canadian military force more so than others. Canadian troops were repeatedly deployed to the area to make it fatally clear that membership in the Canadian Confederation was not subject to a vote other than that by bayonet or noose.

To further subdue any resistance in the Western Canadian Colonies Canada implemented a massive Immigration program comprised at first almost exclusively of people from Ontario. Other waves of immigration brought in people from Europe and the rest of the world. This large influx of Canadians did not change the colonial status or treatment this area received so resistance was replaced by protest. This protest continued into the 20th century. Both the current ruling Federal Party the conservatives and the current Federal opposition have their roots in Western Canadian discontent and both are Western protest parties.

The colonial status of the 1800's resulted in these provinces being required to pay for the Western Railway with extra fees, tariffs, and having to ship their resources via the Great Lakes and Seaway rather than their own ocean ports that had been used for centuries and are closer to Europe than Montreal.

Even today the Prairie Provinces face colonial treatment with unequal representation, lower per capita expenditures from Confederation and colonial programs like the Wheat Board (which was recently disbanded).

At this point in history Alberta should have the most active movement as they have the greatest number of real and costly problems with Confederation. Albertans pays more per capita into Confederation than any other member, often by an order of magnitude more via extra taxes, transfer payments and are the recipient of fewer Federal government jobs, programs and largess.

However, many factors in Alberta work against strong separatist movements. This includes the immigration of Canadians from other provinces that do not see themselves as Albertans first. They see themselves as Canadians first, particularly those from the previous Province of Canada. Large immigration from other areas of the world does not change that. Few new Albertans know of the politics or history of Alberta and many will be quick to leave should the economic environment change.

Threats to that economic environment include membership in Confederation. Some provinces have demanded payments for allowing the flow of Alberta resources and many are actively lobbying against Alberta on many levels.

Both Alberta and Saskatchewan are realizing that other provinces and the Confederation itself is laying claim to their oil resources. There is open talk of a new National Energy Program to ensure the benefits of energy in Alberta are transferred to others in Confederation. This is on top of the already extra burdens demanded from Alberta. This is a very different treatment than energy gets in Quebec or BC, neither of which are considered colonies of Canada. These all form reasons for an active separatist movement.

Alberta politics is increasingly complex and now heavily influenced by global oil politics. They have good reasons for a separation movement so should be on any separatist movement watch list, but all is quiet at this time.

Another member of Confederation which has significant separatist sentiments are the Aboriginals, or First Nations. They hold a special racial status in Canada, complete with Apartheid laws on reserves, special access to Federal resources both natural and monetary, even a tax free status all while billions of dollars are spent by governments funding the various programs and services that comprise the Aboriginal Industry in Canada. Many First Nations have claimed very large chunks of Canada as their property and in many cases those claims are being granted and control being transferred.

With their special status and control of large areas of Canada some already see them as separate from Confederation as Canadian and as being Canada's most successful separatist movement.

Yet the First Nations still have many grievances, and protests are sometimes violent, even in the 21st century. Belief they deserve special racial status is a increasingly questioned by many Canadians.

Confederation benefits French speaking Quebec, and French Speakers in general so are the least likely to actually separate. In the past such claims have been used for political advantage. The time for that advantage has passed. Reasons for 21st century separatist movements would be very different from those of the past. This keeps movements in check, though should other members of Canada start to question French special status and funding that may flare up again.

The massive immigration into Canadian colonies in the late 1800's helped quell the Resistance by dilution and the massive immigration since the late 20th century has had a similar effect. New Canadians are least likely to question the inequalities in Confederation and they make up a significant percentage of the population.

The result is a net force towards stability at least until they or others begin to feel the inequities themselves or wish to make changes that are resisted.
The French speaking portion.

Answer 2

Quebec has always had a strong seperatist movement.