Listen to this article
Estimated 2 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.
A citizen initiative petition to make it official policy for Alberta to stay in Canada has been verified as successful by Elections Alberta.
The Alberta Forever Canada petition, also known as the “Forever Canadian” petition, needed 293,976 signatures to be successful. Elections Alberta said the petition had 438,568 valid signatures counted and 404,293 verified signatures after a random statistical sampling method was applied with a 95 per cent confidence level.
The Forever Canadian petition was launched to counter Alberta separatists who want a referendum on the province’s independence.
The petition, launched by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk asks: “Do you agree that Alberta should remain within Canada?”
Elections Alberta said it’s estimated about 13.6 per cent of electors in the province signed the petition.
While the petition could trigger a referendum, Lukaszuk has previously said that his goal is to have Premier Danielle Smith call the petition’s question in the legislature and have MLAs vote on it.
A copy of the petition’s policy proposal was submitted Monday to the Speaker of the legislature, Elections Alberta said in a news release.
Elections Alberta said since the legislature is sitting, legislation requires the Speaker to bring the proposal before the assembly and within 10 sitting days, the government will have the proposal referred to a legislative committee.
The committee can either table a report on the policy proposal or table a report recommending it go to a referendum.
If a referendum is recommended, it must be held on or before the fixed date of the next provincial general election, which is Oct. 18, 2027.
CBC News reached out to Justice Minister Mickey Amery’s office about what next steps the government might take now that the petition has been verified as successful.
“We congratulate the group on gathering so many signatures in support of remaining in Canada,” Amery said in an emailed statement.
“Now that the petition has been verified, caucus and cabinet will discuss how to proceed under the legislation.”
