The National Post reports in its Wednesday, July 23, edition that according to the federal Clarity Act and Supreme Court interpretation, if a province gains a "clear majority" in favour of secession, it cannot simply declare independence. The Post's guest columnist Preston Manning writes that instead, a federal-provincial conference would be triggered, requiring both federal and provincial governments to engage in "good faith negotiations." Implementing the results of these negotiations will likely require major amendments to the Constitution, which need Parliament's agreement and the support of at least two-thirds of the provinces and territories. Any serious secession attempt and its constitutional negotiations could lead to a significant overhaul of our constitutional arrangements -- a re-confederation, so to speak. The original Fathers of Confederation were driven by fear of the United States, a sentiment that might influence today's discussions on re-confederation. Just as the founders promised the Canadian Pacific Railway to secure British Columbia's commitment, modern leaders may need to commit to a sea-to-sea energy and transportation corridor to unite Western Canada with a re-confederated entity.