Having made sure its secessionist wing’s Alberta separation referendum will have an easy time getting on a ballot, Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party cabinet has moved to ensure no other competing referendum can make the cut.
The mid-game rule change passed by Order in Council at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting immediately raises the price of launching a so-called “citizen initiative” by 4,900 per cent, to $25,000 from $500!
In statements to media, the UCP Government claimed changing the regulations of the Citizen Initiative Act is merely intended to prevent “frivolous applications,” while allowing only those with “serious intent.”
The obvious purpose, though, is to guarantee that only wealthy citizens can get their hobbyhorses to be the subject of a province-wide referendum vote. In Danielle Smith’s Alberta, in other words, if a single individual can’t afford to pony up $25,000, his or her views are by definition frivolous.
This is pretty rich coming from a party that claimed when it introduced the legislation in March 2022 that the Citizen Initiative Act would “give Albertans the ability to directly set the priorities for the government.” The law, and its sister Recall Act, were “among the most important democratic reforms in Alberta history,” boasted then UCP premier Jason Kenney.
“This legislation strengthens democracy in our province by helping Albertans to be directly involved with it,” then justice minister Tyler Shandro chirped supportively in the government’s news release.
Ms. Smith’s latest move – about which there is no press release, only the murky Order in Council and list of regulations to be changed – guarantees that only citizens who already have the ability to set the priorities of government will be able to do so. That is to say, those who are already wealthy.
An individual proponent must now pay the steep new $25,000 deposit fee up front, cannot legally accept donations to raise the necessary funds, and in the event the petition fails to gather the required number of signatures, forfeit the money.
Said former Progressive Conservative deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, whose recent Forever Canadian petition campaign collected nearly half a million signatures from Albertans determined to remain in Canada under the act’s old rules: “This is truly the Rich Citizens’ Initiative Act now. Because unless you’re extremely affluent and you can spare $25,000, you don’t get to participate in this democratic process.”
“When she was in Opposition with the Wild Rose, Danielle Smith always wanted recall legislation and citizens’ initiatives because they’re all about the power of the people,” Mr. Lukaszuk recalled. “But the moment they do it, they say, ‘Oh shit, this is not what we meant! We only wanted initiatives that we actually agree with! We only wanted to recall people that we actually don’t like!’”
So, yes, Wednesday’s changes are bad. But they’re not the worst part of this legislative jiggery-pokery. First, keep in mind that this has always been atrocious legislation, designed to be misused and at odds with the Canadian Parliamentary tradition. But the worst feature now is the transparent way Ms. Smith and the UCP are using repeated rule changes to advance the cause of Alberta separatism.
“The premier no longer has any credibility when she says that she’s not a separatist,” Mr. Lukaszuk asserted yesterday. “She changed every rule in the book, just for separatists. Then, the moment they got through, she closes the doors again. Her actions speak louder than words.”
Mr. Lukaszuk is referring to the fact that the rules in Mr. Kenney’s legislation, which applied to his Forever Canadian campaign, required petitioners to get 300,000 verified signatures and gave them only 90 days to get them. There were also strict fund-raising rules.
As soon as the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project wanted to file its petition, though, the Smith Government changed the rules to make it easier, giving them 120 days to collect only 170,000 signatures. Now, with their allies’ petition safely in hand, the UCP has re-rigged the rules to make it much harder for anyone else to launch a petition.
“This is hijacking a democratic process where you set the rules for like-minded petitions, and the moment those petitions are filed, you change the rules so nobody else can file after that,” Mr. Lukaszuk stated.
Meanwhile, Opposition NDP Justice Critic Irfan Sabir also protested the changes, but in a strangely mild-mannered critique.
“This UCP government keeps changing the rules of the game as they go,” Mr. Sabir complained in a statement emailed to media. “This change is clearly meant to stifle democratic action by citizens who are simply exercising their rights under legislation created by the UCP themselves. This is a concerning trend from this government …”
A concerning trend? Seriously. It’s an outrageous abuse and evidence of a government that’s becoming increasingly comfortable exercising its worst authoritarian instincts!
The NDP would be polling better, it is said here, if its leader, critics and MLAs would speak up and state the obvious forcefully and more frequently.
Mr. Lukaszuk vows to pivot his Forever Canadian campaign “into a fully fledged referendum campaign.” Leaders in the UCP’s separatist faction boast they’re already negotiating with the Trump Administration in Washington. And the NDP, presumably, is thinking about what to say next, if anything.
Meanwhile, an early election next spring, seems more likely by the day. “A March election solves all of her problems,” Mr. Lukaszuk said of Ms. Smith. No need for an embarrassing budget deficit, no embarrassing auditor general’s report about the dodgy health care contracts scandal, and opposition parties likely to be polling weakly and unready to take the government on.
The UCP could then have a free hand to stage its separation referendum at the most advantageous moment, with Danielle Smith’s thumb on the scale.
In such circumstances, would Stephen Harper speak up for Canada? Pierre Poilievre? Preston Manning? It’ll be interesting to see. Sad to say, the chances are increasing that we’re going to find out.
Stifling democracy and suffocating it. That’s the way that it is with the UCP and Danielle Smith. Anything and anyone that goes against their backwards and regressive beliefs, they oppress. Power hungry zealots. This is very concerning, and people had better wake up. Complacency will get people nowhere. Who else will the UCP target next?
The UCP are pretty similar to autocratic governments we have seen in world history, including one from the 1930s, and part of the 1940s in Germany. Look for scapegoats. Accuse others of the very things that they, themselves are doing. Control the narrative and have a compliant media. Leave the destitute more helpless. Envision a utopian society that will not exist. It goes on.
In the 1920s, and in the 1930s, there was a very small number of people in Austria and in Germany, who had warped, and evil ideas, and were clearly up to no good. People were well aware of this, and were very complacent and ignorant, and didn’t stop them. The end results were very devastating for millions of people. That could have been avoided if people weren’t complacent and ignorant.
I’m currently reading a 2003 book by British historian Richard Evans, “The Coming of the Third Reich: How the Nazis Destroyed Democracy and Seized Power in Germany”. The parallels between late 1920s-early 1930s Weimar Germany, with numerous political actors doing everything they could to hobble that weak and struggling democracy, and what we are seeing now in the Benighted States, are unnerving and worrisome.
Remember, Hitler’s first Cabinet, formed on January 30th, 1933, had only two Nazis in it aside from himself; the other Ministers were more mainstream nationalist conservatives who thought they could rein in the Nazis and manipulate them to their own political advantage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_J._Evans
Apropos of nothing except Jerry’s comment here, it occurred to me the other night that while Hitler only planned a thousand-year Reich, the techbro lunatics surrounding the senile American president think they can create a billion-year Reich somewhere in outer space. It is profoundly to be hoped that disabusing them of that notion is not as expensive, painful and time consuming as getting rid of Hitler and his enablers. DJC
Are we surprised?
Options for the oligarchs to directly engage (interfere) in the democratic process and bend it to their will but not for the workers impacted by governmental decisions to fight for their rights. Democracy for the rich, tyranny for the rest.
Of course Dixie Dani shoved that through without consultation. Like Trump and his oligarchical cronies, it’s how she does everything. It’s her way of corrupting democracy without having to pay the political cost for corrupting it.
It’s how sociopaths, think.
It’s the “I’m not really stealing the thing from you, I’m just adjusting the paperwork on who gets to yank the thing away from you at any time so someday when you’re distracted I can yank the thing from you before you can object”
Textbook fascist behaviour.
I assume this will also cause Corb Lund’s anti-coal petition to take a slowdown. Is Mr. Lund wealthy enough to pony up $25,000? If he is, I just got a whole lot more determined to go and collect signatures.
I understand that because his anti-coal petition is in the petition’s Appeal window, Corb’s petition fee will still only be $500.
I have heard that if he re-submits his petition by January 11 he won’t have to pay the $25,000 and I heard him say he plans to do that. I still don’t understand why it was cancelled, though, after being approved.
No he doesn’t have to pay it. He’s getting it in during the grace period and is exempt from the $25,000 fee. Unfortunately, that means so are the separatists.
Could it be that this policy change was aimed directly at Corb Lund? Cancel his petition and force him to reapply, then apply to have his fee reinstated under the $500 rule and wait for approval for that. There is no way his petition would be complete in time for a March election.
So March it is. No, Stephen Harper of the IDU and AIMCO will not speak out in defence of Canada. Preston Manning, who profits on the backs of Albertans with make-work projects for the UCP, will say nothing. Keep the cash flowing into his pockets, please. Pierre Poilievre is already on Dani’s tourist train.
We know that Albertans generally vote the way of their ancestors and don’t give a Biblical fig leaf about the consequences. Follow the flock, even if it heads over an Alberta buffalo jump. They’re like cartoon characters with stars in their eyes, believing tales from a huckster about untold riches and pies in the skies. Gullible, naive, living in a fantasy, greedy and selfish and full of righteousness. Albertans need to take a long look in the mirror. There’s no coming back this time if they vote yes to separation.
TY, you summed it up very well.
It’s interesting, I’d say funny, but it’s not, that Trump, Smith & the UPC have the same tactics. If you’re losing the game, change the rules. It’s very clear, that this so called government, thinks the concerns of Albertans are frivolous and they’re only concerned with their own agendas. The UPC MLAs should be embarrassed, by what they’re doing to this province! In the words from the McBride Bakery in Medicine Hat, which Bruce McAllister, Smith’s XO of her Southern Alberta’s UPC office, is calling for a boycott against. BITE ME!
Jones— Bite-me ,indeed!!LOL Another case of Karma going to bite her in the tush, as far as I’m concerned. The donuts looked delicious and I’m sure he’s going to enjoy the free publicity instead..Lol
So a very large number of Albertans showed their opposition to separation and the UCP death cult decides to piss them off more. Something is very wrong with Albertans… has been for a long time.
The new slogan on Alberta’s license plates should read, “Pay-to-Play!” or, maybe, “United in Corruption”. I was wondering what dirty tricks Smith and her “advisers” were going to come up with to thwart the Anti-Separation petition, and any other attempts by regular Albertans to have influence over her government’s increasingly dark machinations. It constantly amazes me that Smith’s caucus, and party are all AOK with her antics. Are there no honest people in there? Or ones who can see where this is headed? Or, that our democracy is being steadfastly destroyed? I really despair of the people who are voting for the UCP, and the brazen manipulation they are falling for. And unfortunately, they are dragging the rest of us down that dark road, too. We are getting ambushed on every side. All the things defending our democracy have been studied by Smith and her gang, and are now being stripped away, every outrageous “success” emboldening them to do something more egregious. Everybody in Alberta has to wake up and smell the coffee. The business community. Municipalities. The unions. The faith communities. And, as you say David, we need a strong and smart Opposition. We can’t depend on one fellow with a cowboy hat, or a guy in a camper van (as well-meaning as he is), political bloggers , nor castaway politicians forming a new party to save our butts. Or lawn signs, or petitions. We HAVE to vote these scoundrels out.
I wonder if Ms. Smith has considered how her promotion of a sovereignty referendum will affect her aspirations of finding a private company to build her pipeline to the west coast. The Government of Canada loses all of its incentive to allow a pipeline from the foreign country of Alberta to cross BC, so they will need a substantial financial incentive instead.
Mr. Sabir is a modest man with much to be modest about. At this point in time we should be surprised if the ANDP reacts with anything stronger than a mildly worded letter to the editor. We also have to keep in mind that these egregious acts by Smith are hugely popular with the majority of voting Albertans.
I have a feeling the ANDP have decided that they can not win and chose not to anger the UCP in order to retain as many seats as possible next election. You know, stay out of their crosshairs. How else can you explain their “go along to get along”, less than tepid responses?
The NDP tried taking potshots at every misdeed of the UCP under Premiers Kenney and Smith during the 2023 election, and look what it got them: another four-ish years as the Official Opposition, albeit with the largest Opposition caucus in Alberta political history.
They need a different approach, something that gets Albertans to vote for something better, not just against what’s worse.
It also needs to find a way to break through in rural Alberta, which is where the UCP has their most secure seats and a huge head start on a majority in every election. Maybe starting in southern Alberta, and pledging to forever ban coal mining on the Eastern Slopes, would be a place to start. (Maybe they can recruit Corb Lund to run for them lol).
Danielle Smith always was and will always be a filthy traitor. Alberta isn’t separating. Ever. She will also never get her greasy paws on MY CPP.
“give Albertans the ability to directly set the priorities for the government.”
That is, those Albertans who own their own oil company.
I expect that any moment now, Smith will table legislation that makes it illegal to vote to remain in Canada. When critics complain she will simply invoke the Notwithstanding Clause to silence them.
At this point, there doesn’t seem to be any limits to what she is prepared to do, in order to please the fascist separatists in the UCP; the rest of the population be damned.
Smith and her MAGAs supported UCP are NOT on Team Canada, and that should be obvious to anyone with intelligence.
If anyone has listened more carefully to what the Alberta New Democrat MLAs are saying about ALL the atrocious legislation passed by the UCP this fall, they would not be deriding these responses as ‘polite letters to the editor.’ If the UCP wins the next election, despite all this terrible stuff, it will be because people are not getting behind the one viable alternative, which is the Alberta New Democrats. Is the party perfect? it is not. Is it the only realistic alternative? It is.
Not that I’m a bible quoter most of the time, but Jesus reportedly had some pithy sayings. One of them was ‘removed the beam out of your own eye before you remove the moat from the other guy’s.’ So quit quarrelling about the moat in the NDP’s eye, and start looking at the beams that need to be removed from the eyes of those who should be supporting the Alberta New Democrats.
I agree. People are very good at pointing out that the NDP is doing nothing, but I do not see the critics who have a platform and an audience offering air time to Nenshi and his shadow cabinet. At best their protests get a very brief mention. However, this is not to say that I do not think that communication strategy under Notley and now Nesnshi is amateurish.
So much for for the golden age of citizens initiatives. The previous fee amount may have been on the low side, but it certainly was in line with the implied intent of making this process accessible to people. Well, I guess the UCP decided that was too much of a good thing, or perhaps for them a bad thing, so now only those with $25,000 or more handy will be able to take advantage of this process.
This probably eliminates about 95% of people, but the UCP had still better hope there are no millionaires who are unhappy with them or something. Their constant changing and micro managing of the rules also looks very bad for them, but is consistent with their inept bungling here. Either they weren’t smart enough to get it right the first time, or they did get it right and are now trying to restrict people’s ability to participate in democracy based on money. Well I suppose that is as they say, on brand for the UCP.
The situation is both typically unsurprising and predictable. An individual only needs to apply the following test; while at the same time, logically connecting all of the available clues and facts:
“The duck test is a frequently cited colloquial example of abductive reasoning. The test implies that a person can identify an unknown subject by observing that subject’s habitual characteristics.”
Knowing already, for example that, “Rob Smith, the UCP president, explicitly indicated to pro-separation followers that the premier’s electoral reforms would advance their cause. When asked about a path to independence or becoming the 51st state, he replied: “Please read her announcement . . . It’s in there.””
And, “By dramatically lowering referendum barriers and introducing electoral changes that advantage conservative interests, the UCP has created conditions conducive to a more organized and potentially viable separatist movement.”
And, “Current party president Rob Smith has publicly estimated that the UCP base is two-thirds to 75 per cent separatist.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/danielle-smith-mark-carney-pipeline-energy-alberta-separatism-analysis
Wonder if Pollievre has guts to comment on this?
“Meanwhile, Opposition NDP Justice Critic Irfan Sabir also protested the changes, but in a strangely mild-mannered critique.”
Anyone who has dealt with the Alberta NDP knows that fundamentally there is little difference between them and the current ruling party, that is privilege and power defends the system of privilege and power. The social power structure is both tyrannical and hierarchical controlled from above by a managerial class that rewards conformity and obedience. As a lawyer, Mr. Sabir is most certainly very well aware of that fact.
And it is also a fact that the few idealists wishing to trade blows with that same power structure may retain their dignity without sacrificing their idealism, but they are surely going to pay a very high price for their actions and are most likely going to be defeated. Most citizens have those lessons tattooed into both their conscious and subconscious minds.
Mr Nenshi too has most assuredly learned, or relearned and internalized that lesson and all of the beliefs and attitudes that go along with the lesson, after being taken out to the legal woodshed (“Taken out to the woodshed” is an idiom meaning to severely reprimand, punish, or discipline someone privately for misbehavior . . . . It’s used for serious admonishment, like a parent punishing a child or a boss dressing down an employee . . .”) by Cal Wenzel.
Sounds like Corb needs to sell 1000 of those “Danielle Smith: Worst Canadian Ever!” tour ballcaps, at his shows. I’ll take two, please.
If the traitors try to secede then call in the police and have them arrested for treason. A few fat maga wannabe ranchers think they own all of Alberta. Good luck traitors.
By the by— just on our local news here…(CBC)
Adriana Lacringe warning about the large increase in flu cases. IMHO , if she’s on with a warning ** things must be way worse than numbers say.
So to our host and all my fellow commentors, please be careful out there, try and have a safe and quiet holiday season and fingers crossed for the new year.
** www. townandcountrytoday. com >alberta….
“Alberta quietly ends public reporting of Covid outbreaks…
And I’m not even going to comment on the “panel recommendations “….bad juju in the baking…..SIGH!!
Sincere holiday wishes, everyone….cheers!!
Should these clandestine methods be employed to secure Alberta’s “freedom,” I harbor significant concerns for the well-being of Albertans, as they would undoubtedly experience governance under an authoritarian regime prioritizing elite interests.
These orders in council ought to serve as a critical alert for all stakeholders, including investors, given the potential for economic instability in Alberta. The imperative is for competence, a commitment to partnership, and adherence to the rule of law. A government that is authoritarian and coercive, seeking to control all levels of governance, stands in direct opposition to fostering an robust economy and a inclusive democracy.
Separation will be a disaster. Ask the post Brecit Brits.
just a bunch of goons, that is what these people are. Hard to believe these people are actually born Canadians that prefer to be vassals of the US.
Traitors and cowards.
This definitely is a way to prevent the poor people (AISH, seniors, etc) from trying to get fairness. She doesn’t want people to get together with their group to finance anything against their agenda. Which is to allow Chump to take Alberta as a 51 state. Look at the country he’s attacking now; all for oil. Smith will hand him the keys to the province!
The only reason to raise the Fee is so they can use this money to pay elections Alberta to run these ballots so they can save money to fund more rediculous anti Canada ballot referendums. They can say it is not our money it is the money you peons are paying for whith the stetsons and the pitchforks to stop Canada from keeping us poor.