Drumheller's Marie and Jim Fleming are on the "No" side of the Scottish Referendum.
The majority of Scotland’s voters said “No” last week, choosing that Scotland stay part of the United Kingdom rather than splitting off into an independently governed country.
The two sides of the Scottish Referendum are displayed locally by Marie and Jim Fleming, who are ecstatic over the no vote, and Tracy Kakuk, who said she would have voted yes.
The Flemings came to Canada in 1965, and have lived in the valley for 49 years this year.
“It was an excellent vote. We are still united, and that’s all I care about,” said 81 year-old Jim Fleming, "and that's all I'm going to say."
78-year-old Marie agrees with her husband.
“I didn’t want them to separate,” she said, adding it may have been a better time for the split at the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie (in the 1700s), but now wasn’t the right time.
“Divided we fall, I think. If we would have separated, we would not have survived.”
Mrs. Fleming said the history of the Scottish regiments fighting side-by-side with the British and her love of the Queen are two of her reasons for wanting to see Scotland stay in the United Kingdom.
And she also wouldn’t want to see the Scottish flag ruined.
Mrs. Fleming said she hopes Scotland doesn’t hold another referendum on independence.
“It won’t be the end of it, from what I’m reading,” said Scottish-born and raised area resident Tracy Kakuk.
Tracy Kakuk said she would have given the "Yes" side a chance.
Kakuk moved to Canada from Scotland in 1987, and said most of her family there was voting no, but she has one uncle who was strongly yes.
She said she’s not surprised the no votes won, but for herself - she would’ve given the pro-independence side a chance.
“I would have voted yes, to see what they’re fighting for. Let them see, instead of just opinions of why they should or shouldn’t.”
Kakuk said most of Great Britian’s population lives in England, and British Government policies seem to favour England.
“So whenever any decisions are made, the benefits go down there, and this is why Scotland wants a lot of their independence because the decisions they make may be good for England, but they don’t bring the Scottish into consideration as to how it’ll affect them.”
The Flemings and Kakuk all disagree with the government’s dropping of the required voting age from 18 to 16. Mrs. Fleming said it was ridiculous, and from what she saw, thought most of the younger voters seemed to be for the “yes” side of Scottish independence. Kakuk said those in Scotland she spoke with were unhappy with the age limit drop for voting, seeing it as helping to set up things for a “no” vote.
A question came up during Kakuk’s conversation with a friend who was visiting Ireland - had Scotland voted yes in their independance referendum, would that have rippled to Northern Ireland, who has also been fighting for their independence for years?
Even with the “no” vote winning, Kakuk is hopeful of positive results for Scottish governance.
“Their voice has been heard now. And that’s the thing - the world’s heard that Scotland’s not happy with Westminister, so maybe now that things have been opened up to the world, things might change.”
