An independence referendum question may head for approval Wednesday, trailing a bizarre brawl.
On Tuesday, Premier Danielle Smith was considering a televised address to the province, probably on Thursday, to talk about a referendum.
Meanwhile, Thomas Lukaszuk has been invited to speak to a special legislature committee at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The committee is expected to advance his pro-federalist question — “Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?” — to a general referendum vote on Oct. 19.
But it’s not because they admire the ex-politician who started the Forever Canadian movement and rounded up 404,000 verified signatures.
Far from it. Lukaszuk and the government have become bitter foes.
The committee chair, UCP member Brandon Lunty, has offered Lukaszuk five minutes to address the UCP-dominated committee.
They might not actually invite him to speak, but he should be present Wednesday at 2 p.m., just in case.
Lukaszuk is miffed.
Elections Alberta and the Justice Department each had 30 minutes to speak, he notes. Lukaszuk wants the same time.
“But it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality,” he says. “I’ll take the five minutes.”
“It’s evident now that they want to use the Forever Canadian question because they’re trapped with the other question.
“I will remind them that the Forever Canadian question was filed under the legislative provisions, which means that it wasn’t tested for constitutionality like the separatist question.
“It would just be an opinion poll that has no effect and is not binding, because it wasn’t filed under the constitutional provisions.
“The premier has painted herself into a corner.”
The UCP members will say, what the hell, a referendum is exactly what you asked for when you launched your signature drive.
They point to the many times Lukaszuk referred to a provincewide vote. They say most people who signed thought it was for a referendum, not a legislature debate.
During a recent meeting of the committee, UCP member Jason Nixon went after Elections Alberta officials as if they were on trial.
He wanted them to admit that people who signed the Forever Canadian petition would be aware of the referendum reference in Lukaszuk’s application.
The officials finally admitted that, yes, they could have that impression.
Lukaszuk will face the same question from UCP committee members Wednesday.
And they have a point. Lukaszuk has been unclear, to say the least.
His application for a citizen initiative clearly states that it’s “a legislative or policy proposal.”
He did not check the “constitutional referendum” box.
