Is the Alberta Prosperity Project having trouble finding enough Albertans willing to sign its Citizen Initiative Act petition to gets its separation referendum on the ballot next fall?
One has to wonder.
It seemed as if it wouldn’t be that hard for Alberta’s far-right separation crowd to get the 177,732 valid signatures needed under the Referendum Rules for Dummies ™ version of the “direct democracy” law Premier Danielle Smith created just for them to ensure their secession question could be put to a vote, before changing the rules back again to make it harder for everyone else.
So when separation supporters like Take Back Alberta’s David Parker bragged that “we will definitely hit the 1 million signature goal of this campaign,” while that may have seemed unlikely, you had to reckon a significant number of right-wing Albertans could be persuaded to sign a petition without thinking too deeply about its implications.
That would be made even easier if a Brexit-style disinformation and misinformation campaign could be ginned up with some foreign funds, as now appears to be happening on weaponized social media sites online.
Still, if the petition’s organizers are now sending operatives – and there is no way to know if these people are Albertans or Canadians – to canvass snowbirds in Arizona and Mexico for signatures, surely this suggests they’re feeling a little anxious about their ability to get enough valid signatures here in Alberta.
Elections Alberta would be advised to examine with particular rigour the signatures obtained outside the country.
The APP has until May 2 to gather the required number of signatures.
Meanwhile, Premier Smith, the separatist movement’s chief enabler, sounds desperate to ensure something close to the APP’s blunt question – “Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” – finds its way onto a ballot next fall.
It doesn’t really matter if she’s a soft Preston Manning style reconfederationist, as she seems to have convinced a lot respectable journalists, or is a full-blown APP style deconfederationist, as one would conclude by observing what she actually does. She’s engaging in verbal contortions to justify getting a separatist question on the ballot no matter what Albertans want or the courts say.
Remember, Ms. Smith’s superpower, as a friend of mine says, is making really bad ideas sound sensible … as long as you don’t listen too carefully.
What about former Progressive Conservative deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk’s Forever Canadian petition, signed by more than 450,000 Albertans – which asked, “Do you agree Alberta should remain in Canada?” – wondered journalist Paul Wells in an interview with Ms. Smith published on his Substack Friday.
At the request of the Chief Electoral Officer, a judge ruled in December that the APP question would contravene the constitution, Mr. Wells noted. “Does your Attorney General disagree? Does your Attorney General plan to pronounce on the constitutionality of this question before Albertans are asked to vote?”
Ms. Smith sounded as if she were squirming. First she attacked the wording of Mr. Lukaszuk’s petition. “I think you have to be very clear about what ‘no’ means before you put it on a ballot,” she responded. (In fact, I think we should all be pretty clear by now that no means no.)
Then, the premier rolled on, “What we wanted to do with Citizen Initiative is not have a bunch of gatekeepers prejudging whether something should or should not be asked. We wanted to see if something had enough expression of support, and then it’s up to us to put forward a question that would be constitutional and to implement them if passed in a constitutional way.” (Emphasis added.)
“So, no,” she continued, “that work hasn’t yet been done by the justice minister, because we’re waiting to see the result of the petition to see if it even does get the requisite number of signatures. …”
In other words, there will only be one gatekeeper, and that is Danielle Smith. Certainly no King’s Bench judge, schooled in the meaning of the constitution, is going to be allowed to weigh in again – even though it required changes to the law to ensure that no one but the justice minister could refer the wording of a question to a judge.
And I think we all understand that Ms. Smith’s wish is that the final wording of the separation referendum she is determined to see on the ballot is more like the APP’s than the Forever Canadian campaign’s.
Your blogger’s absence last week explained
Thanks to the several readers who sent me notes wondering what the heck had become of me, not having posted on this site for a week. All is well. I have been at meetings in Ottawa. Unfortunately, they were not secret negotiations with senior officials of the Canadian government as if I were someone in a backwards black cowboy hat negotiating without authorization on behalf of the entire population of Alberta.
One of those meetings was the annual “summit” of the Broadbent Institute, founded by the late NDP leader Ed Broadbent to 2011, the year the party saw 103 MPs elected to Parliament under Jack Layton. The meeting is still a worthwhile event, even though the NDP’s caucus in the House of Commons is somewhat smaller and the prospects of it forming a government anytime soon are, shall we say, diminished.
Alas, I am no spring chicken. The time when I could attend meetings in windowless rooms all day, dash off a 1,000-word blog post in the evening, then go to the bar are gone. Nevertheless, perhaps there will be some commentary soon arising from some of the interesting sessions at this year’s gathering. DJC
The AB FreeDUMB crowd are doing their damnest to get those signatures, even to the point of hounding and harassing yours truly.
I was walking toward my local giant big-box emporium, when I was confronted by two of these black hatted weirdos. I say black hatted because they were wearing black cowboy hats, along with the requisite giant metal belt buckles. I sauntered along, at first ignoring them, until one of them shouted, “Hey You!” Being a misguided and curious person, I made the mistake of turning my head in their direction. One of them strode over to me, followed by his backup, to inform me of their righteous cause. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a hard luck case, and some easy entertainment. I waited the few seconds for his to catch up to me. Once in his range, he brandished a clipboard and said, in a commanding tone, “Sign this!” I took the clip and pretended to actually care about the screed that was written on it. Once I got past all the phrases about, “oppression”, freedom”, “Ottawa’s tyranny” and so on, I asked him to explain to me what I was signing? His backup piped in and said, “Are you stupid?” His cohort gave him a death stare, as if to tell him to STFU, and began flowery speech that surely would have made for oratorical orgasmic surges. Wow! This guy really does believe all his nonsense.
I said something to the effect of “You know, we’re landlocked?” He chuckled and said that is a small matter, because the US will welcome Alberta.
“As a 51st State?”
“Maybe. But most likely Alberta would be a worthy Christian ally.”
I realized I found a live one. But with visions of rotisserie chickens dancing in my head I was hoping to bail on this genius, tout suite.
“Well, okay. But not everyone is Christian in Alberta…”
“They will learn our ways and convert.”
It seems that this person has a hard-on for missionary work, so I began to back away from his zealotry. It may be strange to learn, I’m not the sort of person who has any tolerance for idiots, especially when they are standing between me and heavily discounted Kombucha delights. I handed by his clipboard and said something about having Executive points to spend. No doubt my greater interest in consumerism gave him a mini-stroke. I handed the clip back and said, “Nice try” before waiting away. His backup murmured an expletive, and the other guy told him to STFU.
A million signatures? We’ll see.
@Just Me
With all the sh*t in the world today, your story made me lol for five minutes. Thank you.
“It seems that this person has a hard-on for missionary work…” Maybe it’s the only time giant metal belt buckle can get a stiffy.
Just– sounds like you were accosted by a couple of Hegseth fan boys– it’s a just war, complete with forced prayers etc. ( over 200 complaints filed from all military divisions).
These people do not understand the rules of mixing church and state, yet hypocritically say they must “stop” the theocratic regime. The fact that they are using AI photos showing long lines of cars adorned with the Alberta flags is as pathetic as Skippy’s Russian fighter jets video.
Well I guess we will see how many signatures the separatists can get, but I don’t think trying to get them from the fewer remaining Albertans in the US now is a very good sign for them either.
Their million signature talk also sounds like the kind of bravado that those more detached from reality sometimes engage in, rather than confidence which is often quieter. Also, if this were true then why would have Smith even bothered to lower the referendum threshold for them?
The Remain in Canada petition seems to be the most successful one so far, which leads me to believe that support for the opposite will not be as strong. For what it is worth, the polls taken generally seem to indicate the same as well.
However, Smith does seem to be drawn to bad ideas. I would go as far as to say she often seems to want to be the patron or advocate of them. I suppose being in power gives her the ability to determine the questions to ask, but it does not give her any special insight as to their constitutionality of them.
Perhaps that should be best left to judges not politicians. I recall Smith once said something about others staying in their lanes. It is too bad she has not heeded her own advice.
i believe it should read ; a backwards black cowboy hat
Yes, thank you J.E. I did spot this morning and fixed it immediately. An embarrassing word omission to be sure, but the meaning was reasonably clear from the context, thankfully. DJC
DJC— first: I’m glad you’re back safely. With the flu cases in Alberta we were worried about your well being. Glad you’re back!!
Marlaina>> ” what does ‘no’ even mean?” .
–Right out of the d’rump playbook.
As for collecting signatures out of the country, is that even legal to start with? And secondly who is paying for these trips that the so called ‘acredited’ canvassers are taking to get said signatures. Is that what the fund raising is for?
Not that I’m surprised that they would use shady practices: given their collective propensity for appearing before the magistrates.
>>So called family values, along with reimbursement of millions in court settlements, sounds on par for this bunch.<<
Given the choice of 1000 word blog or the bar after all day meetings; especially when you have to try and decipher another Smithsation ,I wouldn't blame you for picking the bar .Lol
429 again….I guess everyone missed you.
Randi-lee: Discretion was the better part of valour. I chose top go back to the room and sleep. As for the question about canvassing outside the country, that is not clear. I will ask. The question is not included in Elections Alberta’s FAQ. DJC
Given the current state of the world people may not be that interested in separating from Canada. My sense is people are worried, some scared and its Trump who started it all. Leaving Canada would make Alberta a mark and given what Trump has been doing to people in the U.S.A. even right wingers in Alberta may not be interested in leaving Canada.
Don’t expect Smith to get the required number.
It’s understandable that you didn’t post anything for around a week. Age does creep up on many of us, and we may not be as spry as we once were. You have other commitments too.
Without a doubt, Danielle Smith is a full-blown separatist, and so are the UCP. Their actions show that very clearly, no matter what Danielle Smith tries to say. She isn’t loyal to Canada, because she has even tried to kiss Donald Trump’s butt, asked Tucker Carlson, a fired Fox News reporter to get (the former) Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, out of power, and she has made it so that Jeff Rath can get what he wants. Danielle Smith had all the gall to accuse Thomas Lukaszuk of supporting separation, when he doesn’t.
David Parker and Jeff Rath seem like they are one sandwich short of a picnic basket. David Parker still owes Elections Alberta for fines for contravening their rules.
Meanwhile, we have the typical Postmedia columnists sucking up to Danielle Smith, because they want her and the UCP to remain in power. Rick Bell, Lorne Gunter, et all, still want to remain blind to the corruption of Danielle Smith and her UCP gang of misfits. They are still counting to lie about the NDP and Naheed Nenshi. Danielle Smith continues to use the sparse Alberta Legislature sessions for her own warped and autocratic agenda. We have yet to see how the Corrupt Care scandal turns out, because the investigation into that is still ongoing.
Now we have seen oil prices go over $100. This is due to an ugly war that Donald Trump caused. We can only hope that this war doesn’t turn into something much worse than it is, even though it’s very bad now. At some point, Danielle Smith will brag how good the UCP are with Alberta’s finances, when that has never been the case. The problems that the UCP and Danielle Smith are inflicting upon Albertans is immense, and it will be good to see them gone.
With due respect I beg to differ..
Without a doubt, Danielle Smith is a full-blown separatist, and so are the UCP!!
Smith and the UCP are totally in the pocket of big oil and gas, their decisions display this daily.
The ongoing Iran USA war is going to line the Alberta coffers with oil money and quieten the lust of separation.
TB
May have something to do with Trump’s assault on Iran as his brand has taken a hit. No one wants to be associated with Trumpian/MAGA rhetoric which has turned out to be prime time 100 per cent pure American bullshit. Trump is turning out to be a bigger liar than George Bush. He may have bitten off more than he could chew.
That’s a hell of way to say that everyone thinks Trump is a pedophile and perhaps worse than that because of the significant, increasing, and damning evidence that has been coming out of the Epstein files. Remember when I told you there was worse to come? Well I’m here to remind you that you still should be ashamed, and I would be very shocked if there wasn’t even more and worse revelations to come yet.
I mean, people are calling it operation Epstein Fury, not going to let you bury the lede on this one.
What revelations? Enlighten me.
It’s scary how the world has been whipped into a “pedo panic”, a 21st century version of the Salem witch trials spurned on by accusations and innuendo with little evidence.
Again, I find revelating specific, lewd, and revolting incidents/ allegations to be beneath the dignity of this blog and it’s commentariat, but there is plenty of there there being reported by plenty of dedicated and professional journalists that one can only miss reading about it if one has willful ignorance.
I will say this, however; no one is mentioned more often or more prominently than Trump, there are plenty of damning, creepy as hell photos in the tranche, and Epstein himself has been quoted as saying that Trump is not only to be feared, he’s the most evil person Epstein knew personally, someone he thought was completely irredeemable. Someone who was president when he died.
I dunno man, seems like you’re being willfully ignorant and intentionally obtuse as you often are. There’s plenty of evidence that trump was deeply involved, and that then many crimes of Epstein included those against young children. Prosecutors being either too scared, too influenced, or thinking too much about their careers doesn’t mean that the FBI and many other agencies did not conduct sweeping investigations into the crimes of JE that implicated an insane amount of very powerful people, in not only salacious crimes such as torture, crimes against children, and sex trafficking, but also run of the mill espionage, treason, insider trading and naked theft.
At this point the ignorance is on you, and if you think I’m going to let you weasel out of it with a bit of hand waving and “satanic panic” I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
It is well understood that we are in a parallel universe these days where evil is king but what amazes me the most is that our system is incapable of stopping this madness. Where are the checks and balances? Why is Danielle Smith allowed to do whatever she declares to be the truth? How can we allow this lunatic take over our province? Do we need to create a police force of vigilantes to save us from this depraved behaviour? If that is the case so be it.
Rath needs to put some tinfoil in the inner lining of his cowboy hat. He’s completely off the rails.
I am one of many (I suspect) other people who were tempted to send an email asking if all was well, but didn’t because it didn’t seem like it was appropriate. Thus I am glad to hear you are OK, David.
A story that broke while you were away is the one linked below, regarding separatist leader Dennis Modry.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dennis-modry-misappropriated-funds-9.7105913
How should Alberta’s biggest Kristi Noem fan know what no means? No doesn’t mean no to many Republicans and billionaires, apparently.
BTW, Kristi won’t be getting her fancy $70M designer jet after all, now that she’s been fired/demoted to outer Zambonia. (Fangirls take note: were the investments in Mar-a-Lago face, Ozempic body, dental work, hair extensions, microblading and the expensive watch worth it?)
As to the separatists hawking their wares in parking lots this weekend, they were having trouble erecting their tents in the four strong winds. Those who plunked their table and chairs smack-dab in the middle of the public sidewalk at Fish Creek Library in Calgary, blocking egress for pedestrians, weren’t getting any bites either. Last weekend didn’t seem to be any better for those in the Walmart parking lot. Maybe all the camo gear is a bit off-putting.
As for the gatekeeper-in-chief of the once and future Albertastan, media reported that she has graciously requested that the Alberta Prosperity Project leaders allow her to continue leading the soon-independent petrostate. In other words, you’ll never have to vote again because elections will be a thing of the past, or something. Besides, doesn’t the US president get to appoint the leaders of the territories he usurps/bombs the daylights out of? Dennis Modry could be put in charge of the treasury. They’ve got it all figured out. A few Mexican beachgoers here, some Arizona deserters there…
I guess their next move was to get signatures from tax dodgers in Dubai.
That prolly didn’t work out the way they hoped.
@ DJC
I am SO looking forward to what you found out in Ottawa!
Alberta’s Maple MAGA head, David Parker, is getting more and more desperate in his typo ridden begs for signatures and money.
Cool— now wouldn’t it be ironic if the so called canvassers had taken the donations and were trolling the suckers from Mehico.. “asta luego” muchachos…lol. Surprised I would not be .
Welcome back David. There should be a law, regarding going out of province/country, to gather signatures. I hope, that these small minded nitwits, Smith, Rath, Parker, Davies and the APP fail miserably and they go back to their holes, where they belong.
Hold on just a second: what is our esteemed Premiere actually saying here? Is she saying that, after the Forever Canada petition was signed by almost half a million Albertans, her government gets to decide the wording of the referendum question, ignoring the question attached to the petition?
That combination of gibbled double-talk combined with a ruthless determination to control every aspect of the process despite the clear wishes of the citizenry is what these days constitutes the new “Alberta Advantage”.
David: I am totally, totally confused by this petition business. I admit that I didn’t read all the pages of the rules & regs so this is def my mistake. Please help me….I’m drowning.
First, was there a start date to collect signatures? Could another approved petition (say to abandon the metric system) start collecting signatures right now?
Second, is there a set number of days in which signatures can be collected?
Third, at the end of the collection period, and post judicial approval, then what? Do the boxes just sit in storage? Is the approved ballot added to the next provincial election ballot? Does this mean that an approved ballot question can linger for months before voters will have a chance to decide yay or nay?
Help!
Confused: The answers to all or most of your questions should be found here: https://www.elections.ab.ca/recall-initiative/initiative/Initiative-FAQs/ DJC
Twice in the last week I have seen separation fool “pop-up” sites; not 1 person signing, waiting to sign, or even talking to the idiots. When I contrast that to what I saw for the Forever Canadian drive, well, the seperafools are coming up very short.
For shits and giggles, as a thought exercise, I made a presumption: what if the 456 K people who signed the Forever Canadian petition are 70/75/80% of the total pool of people who will sign one or the other petitions. The math works out at, 75% and up, the APP will fall short of 178 K signatures. At 70%, they are barely getting enough. Given recent polls, I suspect it will be close, but ultimately a fail.
They need to pull the entirety of the heartland to pull it off. Every single eligible voter in red deer, grande prairie, camrose, Wetaskiwin etc etc, MAYBE. I’m sure in places like Oyen, confederation, small town alberta around the South east and the northwest it’s a popular idea, but the less isolated the community the less likely you’re going to be the kind of crank that doesn’t see any of the glaring and obvious problems with “sEpErAtIoN”. The vast majority of albertans are Urban, and if they’re political at all, they’re extreme moderates.
Another thing I’ve seen people talking about is how unusual it is for there to be a “populist” movement in one of the most upwardly mobile and prosperous states in the entire west. Generally populism rises from disenfranchised impoverished groups, see the rust belt in the states which is a huge part of the maga movement.
Now this is just my opinion, but because of these things I have been operating on the assumption this is largely a FAKE movement, being bankrolled by nefarious actors and amplified by useful idiots coordinated with their data from Facebook Cambridge analytica style to be fooled into thinking they represent either a significant minority or *chuckle* even a small majority of albertans. This noise then re amplified by American owned media to try and get the rest of us to think the same thing about these clowns.
They’re lying, their supporters are stupid at best and bigoted at worst; and we should run them out of here on a rail just like alberta did when the KKK tried to set up shop here.
The separatists actually need to collect far more than 177,732 signatures on their petition, due to the probability that a lot of signatures will be declared invalid. What they need is closer to 220,000 people to sign up. There’s also the threatened injunction by various Indigenous groups. That court application will be heard April 7 & 8. One of Black Hat guy’s buddies has been posting on social media that they need as many signatures as possible before April 7 in case their effort is shut down by the courts. For some reason, they seem to think that if they get the required number by that date, a referendum will go ahead anyway. More likely they’d have to go back to Square One with a new question, unless someone in the Premier’s office has been making off the cuff promises to change the rules – again. What I’m wondering is what will happen if – or when – UCP members finally realize that they’ve been played with Bill 14. The separatist petition might – or might not – lead to a referendum, which will inevitably fail. But Bill 14 effectively cuts the UCP CA’s off at the knees when it comes to selecting candidates for the next election. All UCP candidates will run only with the blessing of Danielle Smith and Rob Anderson. My guess is they’ll use that power to weed out potential candidates in favour of people Smith and Anderson can control. UCP CA’s are effectively irrelevant. Oh, and changing the wording of the referendum question – that’s included in Bill 14 as well. That’s the problem with the separatists – no attention to details.
Grifter yokels gonna grift: “Family seeking $1.3M owed by Alberta separatist leader Dennis Modry after court order”https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dennis-modry-misappropriated-funds-9.7105913.
Grift implies some sort of organized con, he just stole 1.3 million dollars from his vulnerable elderly family. If that happened in my family Dennis would be shopping for a hip replacement at the minimum.
Welcome back:
Judging by the TDS and inflammatory comments in here, I’m going to suspect j am screaming into the void, speaking mostly to unemployed elbozos, pensioners, and government workers. But perhaps it would interest you to know that this topic is being discussed by families, high income earners, and career types in boardrooms and in arenas.
This article makes several factually incorrect claims. “There’s no way to know if they’re Albertan” except that the signature is tied to their ID. Oops.
It’s interesting also that you, having obviously not read the regulations, seem to think the Premier has anything to do with this. No, and she’s lost popularity among conservatives for stating we need to remain part of Canada. But given you have Trump I guess that means you hate Danielle–at least that’s as much as I’ve been able to work out in terms of your logic on display here.
Finally, as with most liberal jackboots, I find your lack of interest in the very real democratic process being implemented here fairly concerning. We separatists don’t exist just to line your pockets, after all. Some of us do, in fact, take issue to our egregious taxation without representation and are using legally viable and completely democratic approaches to amplifying our message to Ottawa. Sorry you find this offensive–but not really.
B.C. is very nice this time of year. Relocating is easy. Just sayin.
Goes both ways. Montana is just south. What’s keeping you?
Did we read the same article ? If “conservatives” represent such a strong number of albertans why the push for snowbirds in Florida and Mexico to sign !? The forever Canada petition had NO TROUBLE getting enough signatures within Alberta’s borders proper, what’s wrong with your campaign ? Ran out of easily manipulated low information voters like the kid we all saw signing the separation petition while wearing hockey Canada merch ?
Did you come here from Facebook!? What is a liberal jackboot ? Wanting everyone to have healthcare and food security ?
If you don’t like your neighbours pack up and leave. Y’all represent a tiny minority that is SHRINKING. Either fit in or … how’s it go again ? That’s more of your teams slogan.
Bird: I wondered about the “Liberal jackboot” jibe too. Upon consideration, though, I realized that here in Alberta, a Liberal jackboot is called a Blundstone. DJC
PS, interestingly, when in Australia last fall (spring there), I was shocked to discover that nobody there wears Blundstones unless they work on a construction crew. Some exceptions may apply in Tasmania. DJC
The arch hipsters are all wearing Canada western boots now, made in WPG. Elbows up an all 😉
Bird: Does this make me an arch hipster again? At any rate, I have a couple of very nice pairs of handmade Alberta Boot Co. boots, made in the days when cowboy boots still had Cuban heels and pointy toes, as God intended. They may not be as comfortable on my septuagenarian feet as they once were, but by gosh they still look great. A photo can be found at the following link: https://albertapolitics.ca/2018/04/alberta-is-not-texas-north-canada-is-not-kazakhstan-and-kinder-morgans-big-brains-in-houston-mustve-known-it/ DJC
5th Generation Albertan here, and I couldn’t agree with you more on this article. I always wondered where the NDP of Alberta got together, guess I stumbled on the platform. Seems the only people I meet that dis-agree with separation are the people protected by unions and on some sort of government assistance. Oh and BTW folks, campaigners are telling me the estimates are at 750,000 – 800,000 signatures so far. Good news for the rest of you, the common sense people & companies in B.C. are moving to Alberta, so there will be real-estate available!!!!
This whole comment sounds really desperate bud. Alberta is going nowhere. I saw three separatist tables set up in the last week and no one was in line. All this separatist nonsense is doing is scare off investment to our province.
James Web Space Telescope Spots APP At Edge of Universe … jonesing for petition signatures.
All kidding aside, I’m not trying to make fun of the separatists; indeed, aren’t I nominating them for this year’s best sci-fi performance? Having reached the zenith of fame after their acclaimed television renditions of the much loved Smith&Parker Gang novels and subsequent series of gritty, spinoff box-office hits –unforgettable titles like The Wrath of Jeff, Son of MAGA, and Invasion of the Pronoun Snatchers–, it’s a no-brainer that these talented westerners would be of great interest to big time independent movie makers–who naturally happen to be relaxing in tropical climes right now.
That’s showbiz for ya.
But during these stressful times citizens have more important things to do than be entertained all day, every day. Or be written into a script they’re too busy to bother with. I suspect more and more people are discovering that, a priori, there is no legal or constitutional way for any province to secede from Canada, therefore a petition to hold a referendum to measure support for secession is, a posteriori, completely moot as far as actual separation goes–in short, preposterous.
Signing is even less attractive when potential signatories realize that even the referendum question itself stands a pretty good chance of not complying with the federal Clarity Act because the Premier hates everything federal–and she’s given herself the authority to decide what’s federal ‘n’ what ain’t. Double moot? Who’s got the time when every patriotic Canadian is busy boycotting bourbon?
So most people know this whole separation business is only valued for its performative qualities, its drama, its clever imitation of reality and convincing proffer of fantasy. That’s nice but most people already have a life, one which includes having to adjust to the new relationship with Canada’s greatest strategic and economic ally hitherto. They can only take time out to sign something that’s really important–even if it, too, is valued mainly for its performative qualities. (“The Envelope, please…”)
Other than winning a Juno, the separatists know they can’t succeed. Danielle Smith –whose partisan favouring of the separatists is so obvious it just has to be schtick– certainly wants to make political hay out of the referendum, any result will do, presuming, that is, the APP gets enough signatures to pass the first hurdle on the trail to the land of (you probably guessed it) moot. Now, wouldn’t THAT be something!–especially for something so–uh–moot.
I’m reminded of the amalgamation of the cities surrounding Toronto planet of my birth. A similar move in the environs of Montreal reduced the once-sainted separatist Premier Lucien Bouchard to a churlish, sulphur and soot stained demon, the dozens of disapproving smaller municipalities surrounding the ancient Island having been extremely parochial for a lot longer than the Bloc Québécois. The citizens and civic councils of Toronto’s satellite cities were equally outraged by amalgamation and demanded a referendum to settle the matter. However, the provincial government from which municipalities get their charters and to which they are entirely subordinate is not obliged to meet their demand, so the satellites were amalgamated anyway, despite a great uproar of disapproval, forming a sort of Dyson sphere of taxpayers electing councillors to the flying saucer in Nathan Phillips Square, down in the heart of Hogtown.
It would have been a shame to waste drama so intense. So the citizens organized their own Referendum, immaculately conducted by a reputable pollster, invigilated by scrupulous scrutineers and news media, a wholly above-board, up-and up, impeccably verifiable, high-turnout vote which to no one’s surprise proved the overwhelming majority disapproved of amalgamation. I forget if a court of law gave it any kind of performance rating before, as required by law, dismissing the complaint that the law had just been proved “undemocratic” (although Donald Marshall, David Millard, Guy Paul Morin, and Steven Truscott, among others, are well thankful sentencing isn’t ‘democratically’ voted on by the general public.)
Presuming the APP meets the petition threshold, a referendum on secession is held, and the result does not approve the proposition, what value would it have to its members? I expect we’d have to wait see if it interests any of the moguls who are naturally holding court and margaritas in warmer climes right now.
According to one social media post I read recently, provinces can separate any time they choose to do so because the Fathers of Confederation wrote that clause into Confederation.
Oh, really?
You and I know that’s not true. We know that Alberta was not at the table in 1867. We also know that the other members of Confederation created Alberta out of the Northwest Territories in 1905. Alberta did not join Confederation. Alberta was created by the member provinces of Confederation.
Anyways, I could go on all day correcting the misinformation in that post. Enough! That’s the level of comprehension among the people who want to take Alberta out of Confederation now. They don’t understand and can’t be bothered to understand.
Anyways, it’s St. Patrick’s Day and I’m off to listen to that classic tune, “Me and D’Arcy McGee”.
As someone who volunteered on the AB Funds Public Schools petition, I don’t see how Elections Alberta can determine which signatures were gathered outside the country. Canvassers have to get a badge, so their Alberta residency is verified. Signatories need to sign with their Alberta address and affirm they are eligible to vote in Alberta. My understanding is Elections Alberta checks this info against voter lists. But a person could still live 6 months in Arizona and have their primary address in Alberta and be eligible to sign
How many signatures could they possibly collect? It’s not like they put all the Canadians in the same trailer park; let alone “alberta town”. Even saying that much, how’s the conversation going to go? They just going to call the person stupid and demand they sign it without explanation like our friend experienced with the two jerks in cowboy hats ?
The whole thing REEKS of desperation. Math is hard tho, right !?
Heather– you brought up a number of rather interesting points.
1. Did the canvassers show proper ID before trying to get signatures; which again brings up the question of “is it legal to collect signatures in a foreign country ” ?
2. IF and I think it’s a big if: the tourists signed a separation agreement to separate from Canada, do they realize that they are having their last Canadian vacation? The 6mth snowbirders would lose their pension privileges along with what I can only see as being a substantial amount.
3. If Alberta elections can’t verify where the signatures were collected, I’m of the opinion that this would put a black mark on the entire system. Especially since they feel it necessary to ‘strong arm’ people to sign up. Intimidation tactics work well south of the border and imo that’s a tell on them.
The picture atop the article looks very much like Muelle de Playa Los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta. Interesting strategy, getting a bunch of boozed up Albertans to sign on the dotted line while on a beach getaway. Unethical? Very much so, I’d say. More importantly I’d like to know how they are verifying Albertan residency on the beach, as tourists in Mexico generally carry cash/card but leave the wallet in the hotel safe. The whole thing reeks of desperation.
It also shows their preferred residence!
Alberta first!!
Yes but only for 6 months of the year?
TB
Just Me—– follow up question.
The cowboys had a clipboard, but were they wearing their official canvassers badges?