Elections Alberta has granted approval for a citizen initiative petition by the Alberta Prosperity Project, seeking to present a referendum question to Albertans regarding the potential separation of Alberta from Canada. The group has now been given the go-ahead to commence signature collection after appointing a financial officer for the petition campaign by early January.
The proposed question by the Alberta Prosperity Project asks, “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” This follows a previous attempt by the group to pose a similar question, which was deemed unconstitutional by an Alberta judge.
To facilitate such citizen initiatives, the provincial government recently passed Bill 14, enabling the progression of referendum questions even without prior constitutional assessment. The legislation empowers only the provincial justice minister to refer a citizen referendum question to the courts, a responsibility previously held by the chief electoral office. It also allows for suggested amendments to a constitutional referendum question before it is presented to voters.
The legislative changes prompted the Alberta Prosperity Project to resubmit its referendum question without incurring any fees. Mitch Sylvestre, the CEO of the group, expressed satisfaction with the revised process, asserting that court intervention was unnecessary. He emphasized the importance of enabling citizens to pose questions directly without judicial interference.
In a parallel development, a separate citizen initiative petition advocating for Alberta to remain within Canada was successful in meeting its signature requirements. Spearheaded by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, the ‘Alberta Forever Canada’ petition aims to prompt a legislative debate followed by a vote in the Alberta legislature.
With both petitions now in motion, there appears to be a potential clash of ideologies on the horizon. Lukaszuk affirmed his team’s readiness to present a robust case for Alberta’s continued affiliation with Canada in response to the separatist sentiments of the Alberta Prosperity Project.
Acknowledging the democratic rights of Albertans to engage in citizen-led initiatives, the Ministry of Justice affirmed its commitment to supporting the process. The government encouraged proponents of independence to demonstrate their level of public backing through the petition process. The Alberta Prosperity Project is tasked with gathering approximately 178,000 signatures within the next four months to advance its cause.