The Darcy Gerow Podcast

Episode 56 Michael Wagner

Michael Wagner is an independent researcher and writer with a PhD in political science from the University of Alberta. Today we dig into the origin of and justification for Alberta’s struggle for self-determination, a movement which offers no illusions and makes no apologies for challenging the status quo. The discussion of Michael’s latest book, Time to Leave, Canada Cannot be Fixed, acts as a touchstone for a broader discussion on the historical and intellectual merits of Alberta Independence. Michaels’s books are primarily rooted in history, but they also embody the frustration many Albertans feel. When all political avenues have been exhausted, self-determination becomes the only viable path. Decades of federal overreach, constitutional constraints, and a lack of real property rights have created a climate ripe for separation. For libertarians, it is not about petty grievances but about the principle of self-governance and the need to reclaim autonomy from a centralized authority in Ottawa. Michael points listeners to various resources for further exploration. His website, drmichaelwagner.com [https://www.drmichaelwagner.com/], serves as a hub for those hungry for more than just sound bites. Merchantship.ca [https://merchantship.ca/] is highlighted as the go-to source for his books that delve into Alberta separatism and critiques of the constitution. -Darcy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit darcygerow.substack.com [https://darcygerow.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 55 Michael Harris

Michael Harris is the Libertarian candidate for the Battle-River Crowfoot by-election. He is a passionate advocate for liberty who counts Ludwig von Mises and Murray Rothbard among his intellectual influences. I first met Michael last year at an event we hosted with Libertarian Party leader, Jacques Boudreau. At the time Michael was working for Students for Liberty and I thought he was a well spoken advocate for our cause, so I was excited to see that he had stepped up to run in this by-election. And, he’s been gaining traction. It’s no secret that this by-election is only happening because the Conservatives want their leader to have a seat in the House of Commons and the Battle-River Crowfoot riding is seen as an easy lock for Poilievre. The CPC won’t take any chances on this front after Poilievre was defeated in the Carleton riding which he had represented for around 20 years…I think. Yet, there are the murmurings of dissatisfaction with the situation from Battle-River Crowfoot constituents. After all, this is a rural Alberta riding and these people don’t just vote conservative out of habit, they genuinely believe in the principles espoused by conservative talking points. Principles such as smaller government, less waste, accountability, and of course, freedom. Not to mention, this particular riding is fertile ground for a heavy contingency of Alberta separatists. When an MP steps down so some guy who failed to form government or even retain a seat he held for decades can take a run at a sure thing, you can expect some questions to be asked. People might want to know how much this thing is costing us. They likely want to understand how the leadership of the CPC was so politically incompetent that this guy lost his own seat. Have they learned from their mistakes? Running him in a riding he’s basically guaranteed to win doesn’t give people a lot of confidence that they have. But one of the most important questions people in Battle-River Crowfoot wanted answered is where does Poilievre stand on a referendum on Alberta independence. Poilievre’s response - that he’s a Canadian patriot - shows the exact kind of disengaged, out-of-touch thinking that Albertans associate with the Laurentian elitist machinery. He had an opportunity to win them over and he gave them an example of why they want to leave. There is the sense of being used, of uncleanliness in the political process and despite it, the constituents of Battle-River Crowfoot will likely hold their collective nose and elect Poilievre by a large majority, but not without putting these questions and concerns at the fore, not without adding an element of the microscope to Poilievre’s ability, and not without giving young Michael Harris his soapbox to stand on. Michael is not a career politician, he’s a young guy with a passion for personal liberty. He wants to end equalization, scrap supply management, and strip Ottawa of the authority and decision making rightly enshrined to individuals. His is a message that resonates with rural Albertans. Hope you enjoy the episode. -Darcy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit darcygerow.substack.com [https://darcygerow.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 54 Tim Moen

The State is not Great is Tim Moen’s talk from the 2023 Capitalism & Morality Calgary Seminar. Tim Moen is the former leader of the Libertarian Party of Canada, a firefighter and paramedic. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit darcygerow.substack.com [https://darcygerow.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 53 Gary Chartier

Gary Chartier is a legal scholar, philosopher, political theorist, and theologian. His work addresses anarchism and ethics. Chartier is a professor and serves as associate dean of La Sierra University's business school. Problems arise from having different definitions or understandings of terms and ideas. In politics, for example, the terms left and right have historically been used in broad and inconsistent ways, and both have shown tendencies toward extreme authoritarianism. The term capitalism is another example that is often avoided in polite company due to differences in its usage. When Gary Chartier wrote Anarchy and Legal Order he referred to himself and his work as leftist and anti-capitalist. This was interesting because it seemed like nothing in his work aligned with contemporary leftism and he discussed at length the positive impacts of free markets. In fact, what the book does is a make a strong argument for a stateless legal and political order for those who prioritize animal welfare, the environment, and the well-being of vulnerable people, which makes it an important work in the libertarian canon. The reality is that these issues are priorities for a large number of people and too often rigid distinctions and political dogma get in the way of providing solutions to these concerns. I hope you enjoy. -Darcy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit darcygerow.substack.com [https://darcygerow.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 52 Per Bylund

How Regulations Destroy the Market Process is Per’s talk from the 2023 Capitalism and Morality Calgary Seminar. Per Bylund is Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Johnny D. Pope Chair in the School of Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit darcygerow.substack.com [https://darcygerow.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]