Trudeau doubts prospect of 4 provinces seceding

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau says he has no concern that the resourcerich western provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba may secede. Specualtion about such a move has been fueled by a dispute between Ottawa and the provinces over sharing revenue from oil and natural gas. The argument has been churned by differences over constitutional reform, and by the fact that no members of Mr. Trudeau's Liberal Party have been elected to Parliament from Wets of Manitoba, or to provincial legislatures in that region. Alberta, the main oil-producing province, wants more provincial revenue from increased prices for Canadian crude. The government is due to announce its oil pricing plans plans along with a national budget Tuesday.